PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Sawtooth National Forest is proposing to increase the pace and scale of prescribed burning on lands within the Sawtooth National Forest. The idea: to increase resiliency of existing vegetation, restore a more natural ecological function, improve ecosystem health and wildlife habitat, reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildlife, and improve firefighter and public safety. 

Forest Service officials want to hear what the public thinks about the proposed Forest-wide Prescribed Fire Restoration Project.

The proposed project would authorize multiple prescribed burns across the Forest each year, each ranging from 10-10,000 acres in size. The aim of this project is to increase the amount of annual prescribed burning each year over the next 15 to 20 years as funding and resources allow. 

When fully implemented treatments would not exceed 50,000 acres of prescribed burning annually.  Prescribed burning would be conducted within established guidelines, law, regulation, and policy.  This proposed project would not authorize burning in designated wilderness, recommended wilderness, research natural areas, or pinyon pine stands.

A copy of the proposed action can be found at (https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=59503).

The Forest Service is currently conducting environmental analysis for this project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.  It’s anticipated that an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact will be prepared this spring and an additional public comment period will occur in summer 2021.

Comments should be submitted online at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=59503 by March 28. Emails submitted to email addresses other than that address will be rejected.

Those who cannot access the online form may submit comments by regular mail to Sawtooth National Forest Supervisor’s Office; Attention: Prescribed Fire Project Comments; 370 American Ave; Jerome, ID 83338.  Hand-delivered comments may be presented from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays.