This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Southern Utah's Dixie National Forest is about to go up in smoke, at least a little bit — and that's OK.
Forest Supervisor Angelita Bulletts said Monday that as early as this week, more than 3,000 acres of grass, sagebrush, juniper and pinyon will purposely be going up in smoke.
The series of prescribed burns are meant to reduce hazardous levels of fuels that could later feed out-of-control wildfires, while also restoring the health and sustainability of targeted stretches of the forest in Garfield County.
Signs will be posted along roadways as a reminder to residents, reading "Prescribed Burn Ahead" or "Managed Fired, Do Not Report."
Natural resources managers have already warned that drought-like conditions, coupled with a well-below-average snowpack, could bring one of Utah's worst fire seasons in history.
Add to those factors the decades of fire suppression efforts that have disrupted what the natural cycle of vegetation growth and fire-related "mortality," and much of Utah's forest and high desert rangelands exhibit "uncharacteristically high and continuous accumulations of vegetation and fuels" that threaten natural resources, property and public safety alike, Bullets warned.
"Living in the West means living with fire," she added. "Fire stimulates native vegetation growth, improves wildlife habitat and enhances rangeland conditions — all elements important to local heritage and livelihood."
In deciding exactly when to set the prescribed fires, forest officials will consider air quality, winds, relative humidity, temperature and resources available to keep the flames in check.
The following areas of Dixie National Forest are scheduled for planned fires:
— Escalante Ranger District's Stump Springs (937 acres) and Pretty Tree Bench (600 acres).
— Powell Ranger District's Dave's Hollow (500 acres) and Ahlstrom Hollow (600 acres).
— Cedar City Ranger District's Cooper Knoll Central (500 acres) area.
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