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The Heber-Kamas Ranger District is proposing to treat 3,300 acres with active fire in three operational areas occurring in Summit and Wasatch Counties. These areas are in the Provo watershed 10 miles east of Kamas and in the West Fork watershed 20 miles southeast of Heber City. Operations are planned to begin August 21, 2023, and will continue if conditions allow. The operation will require some area and road closure for public safety, active fire management will occur primarily during the daytime but also could occur at night to increase resource objectives.
The Forest Service has established a Wildfire Crisis Strategy for dramatically increasing fuels and forest health treatments. The 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy (WCS) is built around the scale of the problem, which estimates that 50 million acres in addition to what we currently treat on an annual basis need fuels and forest health treatment to address the growing wildfire crisis. The goal of the project is to reduce wildfire risks to communities and natural resources by restoring and maintaining healthy, resilient fire-adapted forests.
Approximately 382,000 acres (44%) of the Wasatch landscape is classified as high or very high fire hazard, posing a considerable threat to the function of vital watersheds, plant and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and private property. The Forest has been actively managing across the forest to meet resource objectives through vegetation treatments and prescribed fire management. The Forest will continue to use all available tools to continue managing the resources meet the goals in the WCS.
We understand there will be some short-term impacts to Forest users, partners, and communities during the operation, but the longer-term goal is in the benefit for those that rely upon and enjoy our Forest.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Daniel P. Jauregui, Heber-Kamas District Ranger at 435-315-5687 or daniel.jauregui@usda.gov or Loyal Clark, Public Affairs Officer at 801-999-2113.
Daniel P. Jauregui District Ranger Heber-Kamas Ranger District