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U.S. Forest Service Crews are preparing for another summer full of projects, and prescribed burns. Throughout the Ottawa National Forest the forest service has identified various locations in the area, which are in need of a prescribed burn. Fire is often used by the forest service and other federal departments to regulate the chances for a forest fire in certain areas. Prescribed burns typically burn fuel and tinder on the forest floor, which are identified as potential sources of a forest fire. Michigan’s forest fires are most often caused by lightning strikes, or untended fires from outdoors-men.
The Ottawa National Forest rangers have identified twelve fire units within the forest that will have prescribed burns occur during the summer. The Ottawa National Forest’s goals in prescribed burns are too stimulate red pine cone production, kill red pine cone borer larvae, and reduce the amount of hazardous fuel on the forest floor. Those units equate to approximately 237 acres across eighteen projects.
Prescribed burns begin in late April and last until the fall. Projects are weather dependent, and the forest service requires the proper soil moisture content, fuel, and wind conditions for prescribed burns to take place. During active burning, smoke and flames may be visible from the roadway, or areas downwind from sites. While the forest service has yet to schedule prescribed burns for this season, crews will try to adjust ignition days and times to avoid smoke sensitive areas.
Find a copy of identified prescribed burn sites throughout the Ottawa and Hiawatha National Forests here.
