Forest Service to setup prescribed burns
Gladstone/Rapid River, MI — The Forest Service is notifying local media of possible prescribed burning opportunities in the near future. Current weather forecasts suggest suitable burning weather may occur in the next several weeks. Prescribed burning is very weather dependent and most likely will occur after Thanksgiving and prior to Christmas. If conditions are not right, the burns will be postponed until more favorable conditions arise.
The Forest Service is preparing for the 8-mile and South Schaawe pile burns. The 8-mile project burn area is about 20 miles north of Manistique, located about 2 miles south of M-94 on County Road 449. There are approximately 15 acres of piles located in T43N, R17W, Sec 13 and 23. A map of this potential prescribed burn is available online.
The South Schaawe project area is located approximately 3 miles south of US Highway 2 and just east of County road 513 on the Stonington Peninsula. This burn is approximately 33 acres and is located six miles southeast of Rapid River. These piles are located in T40N, R21W, Sec 18 and 30. A map of this potential prescribed burn is available online.
During active pile burning in the South Schaawe area, smoke may be visible from Gladstone, US Highway 2 east of Rapid River, and along county road 513 in Delta County. In the 8-mile area, smoke may be visible from State Highway M-94, County road 437, and Thunder Lake. The piles that are planned to be burned are approximately 5’x5’x5’ in size. The piles are composed of small branches, less than 6” diameter and bases of small trees on top of fine fuels (needles and small branches). After they are lit, they should consume within a few hours. Though unlikely, smoke may settle in some areas in the evening hours. If you have health problems that may be aggravated by smoke production, please contact Mike Peterson, Engine Captain at (906) 474-6442, and you will be personally notified prior to any burning activities.
Both pile burning will reduce slash remaining after harvest of conifers, will improve the overall health and vigor of vegetation, and will reduce the hazardous fuels across the 8-mile and South Schaawe project areas on the Forest. By reducing concentrations of slash, these areas can serve as natural firebreaks by keeping large accumulations of hazardous fuels away from private homes and property boundaries.
For more information about the Hiawatha National Forest’s prescribed burn plans, visit the Forest’s News & Events page or contact the Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer, (906)-428-5800.
(Information Courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service)