BOISE, ID — In the coming weeks, the Forest Service will be conducting a number of prescribed burns as part of their Southwest Idaho Wildfire Crisis Strategy Project.
“Firefighters do a good job at putting out fires, but if we're not managing them through prescribed fire, we get an abundance of hazard fuels,” said Rich Zimmerlee, the Fire Management Officer for the Forest Service
Every year controlled burns are held to help prevent major wildfires from spreading.
Zimmerlee explained, “The objective there is to reduce hazardous fuels in a controlled situation versus a wildland fire.”
Zimmerlee says that one of their biggest priorities is communication with residents who may be affected, saying that they post all information about the burns on their Facebook page as well as post information about the communities nearby.
Idaho News 6 meteorologist Scott Dorval weighed in about the possibility of smoke from these fires affecting the valley.
Dorval explained that even with it being the time of the year that these things start, it is a little early. “That’s because of the moisture we had, but with our smoke that's going to be added and our wind shifting out of the west, we're probably going to be dealing with some smoke,” said Dorval. He believes the Treasure Valley will not see anything severe.
Dorval further explained that a storm system that is due to reach the area will push out any smoke in the valley.
You can learn more about controlled burns through the Forest Service website.
