U.S. Forest Service Will Begin Slash Burns this Month

Ottawa and Hiawatha National Forest Fire Management Unit crews will burn slash piles starting this month. The forest service will burn leftover forest product that was generated from forest thinning and timber harvests in the summer and fall. Thinning projects help support healthy forest growth. The forest service typically waits until late fall and early winter to begin burning slash piles to have enough snow on the ground to mitigate the potential fire spread by burn days. Slash burns will occur when weather permits and can occur as late as early spring. These fires should not impact public access to forest lands. The Ottawa National Forest in the western Upper Peninsula has six burn sites totaling 48 acres.