OREANA, Idaho — The Bureau of Land Management will carry out prescribed burns aimed at getting rid of heavy deadfall branches and reducing western juniper trees within sage-grouse habitats.
The burns will happen between Wednesday, Feb 24 and April 30 southwest of Oreana in Owyhee County.
BLM crews will focus particularly on an area along Bachman Grade Road and another near Triangle. There will be no public traffic delays related to the fires.
The project is aimed at protecting the sage-steppe ecosystem for wildlife, grazing, and recreation, the agency says.
Fire managers will look at weather, fuel, and ground conditions in deciding when and where to start the burns, and hope to keep the burn going for three to seven days, with several days of mop-up and patrol afterward. People who live or are traveling nearby can expect to see smoke in the area.
The BLM says crews plan to contain the fire's spread to "individual tree debris zones" to protect nearby vegetation and allow for faster vegetation recovery.
For more information, contact the BLM Boise District Fire Information Line at 208-384-3378.
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