DNR planning prescribed burn in Klickitat Co.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is committed to conducting all prescribed fires with safety as the number one priority. Staff follow a burn plan drafted to guide operations within a specific range of optimal weather and ground conditions for the prescribed burn to meet prescribed objectives.

Prescribed fires are a common tool used by land managers and conservation groups to reduce the amount of fuel available for wildfires, improve the health of older trees, support new and current wildlife habitats, and recycle soil nutrients back into the ground.

Successful completion of a prescribed fire operation enhances public safety by providing wildland firefighters with a safer landscape on which to fight wildfire. It can also lessen the amount of smoke caused by wildfires due to the reduction of fuels.

Because safety is paramount when conducting prescribed burns, slight changes to expected conditions the day of a burn may require delaying or postponing a burn on short notice. Please sign up for DNR email alerts or the DNR prescribed fire social media account for the most current information.

A recent study completed by DNR scientists found that forest health treatments that included prescribed fire were more likely to be effective when affected by a wildfire than treatments that did not include prescribed fire.

Smoke management and closure information

Though the smoke impacts from prescribed fire are minimal and short-lived compared to those caused by wildfire, businesses and people who are sensitive to wildfire smoke should be prepared to take similar precautions for a prescribed fire in their area. DNR recently published a new Smoke Resources webpage with tools for tracking local air quality and guides for how to mitigate smoke impacts.

Prescribed burn leaders coordinate with DNR staff to examine potential smoke impacts by considering the projected amount of smoke generated by the planned burn, wind speed and direction, and local topography. For this burn, smoke impacts may reduce visibility on nearby roads, including Mount Adams Highway and PVT Haul Road.

Outdoor recreationists and hunters are encouraged to check closure information frequently to ensure the areas they plan to visit are open. All burn areas will have signs posted in advance.