JACKSON, Wyo. — The National Elk Refuge announced today, April 15, that wildland firefighters will be conducting a prescribed burn on the National Elk Refuge sometime between April 19 and May 7, conditions permitting. This will be the first prescribed broadcast burn on the refuge in 20 years.
According to the press release, this burn will reduce hazard fuel loadings to help reduce the risk of catastrophic fire as well as help accomplish habitat objectives by improving habitat quality for bison and elk, increasing elk and bison use of the north end of the
Refuge, and mitigating disease risk.
The burn will occur on lowland grassland meadows on the northern portion of the refuge, outlined in the figure below.
Fish and Wildlife Service fire management employees from the Rocky Basin Fire Management Zone, of which the National Elk Refuge is encompassed, will be implementing and managing the burn. Assistance from the Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch Center and local wildland fire resources will be utilized.
Fire management staff will remain on-site during the burn to assure complete combustion and consumption of all fuels and to monitor burning conditions for potential fire spread. Smoke may be visible from HWY 89 and from the Town of Jackson.
