CLOVIS – The Sierra National Forest (SNF), Bass Lake Ranger District, Fuels and Fire Management staff are planning to ignite a prescribed burn on the Source Kinsman Fuels Project on Saturday, April 22.
Using the advantage of favorable weather conditions, SNF says extra fire personnel and equipment will be committed to the project until the treatment is extinguished as burn days permit.
Ignitions for this prescribed burn project will be one to three days in duration. The treatment area planned will consist of 200 acres in total; this project is composed of bulldozer-crushed 30-year-old chaparral fuels. The burn will be staffed with fire engines and crews from the Sierra National Forest plus a contracted crew.
The current conditions — grass green up and increased live fuel moistures in surrounding brush fields — are very conducive to this type of burning to safely accomplish the objectives with minimal risk of escape, says SNF.
“This type of burn is used to improve the wildlife habitat for deer and wild turkey, and to reduce fuel hazards around the Kinsman Flat area. This area provides forage and hiding cover for wildlife, and is a key winter deer range for the San Joaquin River Deer herd. This project is focused on safely removing fuels to reduce fire hazard and risk in the summer months.”
According to the Forest Service, this area has been treated with these types of burns first beginning in the 1950s and again in the late 1970s, taking advantage of these same types of conditions, and say this project was planned using the documented experience gained from these past burns.
Smoke from the Kinsman Project may impact the Big Creek drainage and Cascadel Woods area in the coming days and may be visible from the valley floor. For additional information on smoke conditions and health effects, visit https://www.airnow.gov.
For questions or concerns please contact Gloria Smith, Fuels Specialist, Bass Lake Ranger District, Sierra National Forest District at (559) 877-2218 ex. 3103.
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