Deer Habitat Improvement Burn
Incident: Refuge Project Prescribed Fire
Released: 3/18/2013
Today, Forest Service firefighters will use fire to improve the brush, grasses and other vegetation used for food by deer and other wildlife in the Mt. Hough State Game Refuge on the Plumas National Forest. "Fire gets rid of the dense, tough older vegetation and causes plants to sprout, providing access and tender, more nutritious food for the animals in the area," said Mt. Hough District Ranger Mike Donald. In addition, the area will be more "fire-safe" should a wildfire start below or within the treated area.
The California Deer Association, Mule Deer Foundation and California Department of Fish and Wildlife are partners in the project.
The planned burn will be very visible in the Quincy area (American Valley) although smoke will likely be visible for longer distances. An information booth is planned for the Safeway parking lot area.
According to Donald, the project will begin today, March 18 as conditions are right. "The weather needs to be very stable and the ground fuels need to be dry enough to thoroughly burn or the project will be delayed until the fall of 2013 or beyond," he said, noting "wetter ground and patchy snow increases our safety margin."
Firefighters will circle the burn area with control lines using existing roads and building lines where needed. They will burn brush by hand along the edges of the project area starting from the top and working down. A helicopter with a suspended helitorch will then be used to ignite the remainder of the area within the control lines.
Air quality is a significant consideration of the timing of this project. Personnel will carefully monitor local weather conditions and work closely with the local air district and forecasters to prevent serious smoke impacts, although minor impacts may be observed in Quincy and Indian Valley in the morning or evening hours due to local air inversions.
For more information, please contact Colin Dillingham, District Wildlife Biologist or Steve Causemaker District Fuels Officer at (530) 283-0555.
