Prescribed Burn Program

The prescribed burn program in the last two years has spring-boarded to a new level under the auspices of the District’s Ecosystem Restoration Program.  In the past, the burn program was constrained to open range and open forest areas where the conifer regeneration was small (under 2 meters in height).  Other areas were being lost to closed forest that once were open forest.  The suppression of wildfires was taking its toll on the Rocky Mountain Trench and each year more area was moving from open range to closed forest.

Premier Ridge - 1951                                                        Premier Ridge - 1995

In 1995, when the District’s ecosystem restoration planning was spearheaded, closed forest areas were now being logged and slashed in the effort to revert them back to open range or open forest and maintain them in that state.

To view a table of the District Area Burned from 1983 to the present.

To view a chart of the District Area Burned from 1983 to the present.

Open Forest Stand

Monitoring of ecosystem restoration treatments (harvesting, slashing, burning) is  an integral part of the District’s range inventory program.  To view the Premier Ridge post-burn report.