Forest Service Press Release
Spanish Fork Ranger District fire personnel plan to conduct a prescribed burn in the Sheep Creek area the week of Oct. 6-11 when weather conditions allow. The project area is located in Utah and Wasatch counties, approximately 30 miles east southeast of Spanish Fork, Utah, and northwest of Soldier Summit from Highway 6. The burn unit includes approximately 5,927 acres. This prescribed burn is part of a vegetation project that included mechanical treatment in 2013 through 2017.
By reducing hazardous fuels, this project will help to minimize the risk of large- scale wildfires to private landowners, structures, and natural resources, while restoring fire-adaptive ecosystems. Another purpose and need for this project is to improve and maintain wildlife habitat, regenerate aspen stands, and reduce encroaching conifers into aspen stands.
The method used for these projects is called “prescribed burning” because the area will only be burned when certain pre-planned conditions exist. Air temperature, relative humidity, fuel moisture, and wind speed and direction are some of the requirements that must be met before burning begins. Prescribed burns will be ignited when fuel moistures and weather forecasts allow for good smoke dispersal away from population centers.
Qualified fire personnel will use hand held drip torches and a helicopter to ignite fire in the designated area. Engine and hand crews will monitor the fire area until it is completely out. Smoke may also be visible during the burn and is expected to linger during the evening and early morning hours. For public and firefighter safety the area, roads and trails leading into the burn area will be temporarily closed to the public beginning at midnight, Oct. 4 to midnight, Oct. 13.