Sheridan, WY— Bighorn National Forest Supervisor, Andrew Johnson, announced several prescribed burns will be conducted this fall. These burns are weather dependent and planned to occur over the next few months. The purpose of the burns are to reduce fuel loading, improve wildlife habitat, and increase range forage. The burns target over-mature sagebrush and conifer encroachment into shrublands and meadows. A map is available on the Forest’s webpage at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/bighorn/home. Please look on the right-hand column under alerts. Visitors are encouraged to contact local Districts for further information. For Greybull, please call 307-765-4435. For Sheridan, please call 307-674-2600. For Buffalo, please call 307-684-7806.
On the Medicine Wheel Ranger District, a burn is planned for the Beaver Creek area near Sunlight Mesa on Hunt Mountain, for approximately 750 acres.
On the Powder River Ranger District, burns are planned for Tensleep Canyon and Canyon Creek areas, totaling approximately 500 acres.
On the Tongue Ranger District, burns may occur in the Prospect Creek area near Granite Pass and Schuler Park near Burgess Junction. Combined, the burns total approximately 500 acres.
Smoke may be visible from communities surrounding the Bighorn National Forest, but is not expected to impact residents. Burns will be conducted in a way to minimize the impact on hunters and other recreationists by signing the areas intended for burning, by limiting the impact of safety closures to the days of the burns, and by announcing specific burn days on social media, the Forest’s webpage, and other outreach sources.
