NPS plans burns around lake

You might see smoke rising around Lake Roosevelt in the near future.

The National Park Service, in cooperation with the Wildland Fire Service, may implement prescribed underburns and pile burns in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area this fall.

Safe and favorable weather conditions are expected from early October through December. Ignition of each area should be completed in one day, and fire management staff will carefully monitor the project areas until they are fully extinguished, the NPS said in a release this week. Residual smoke may be visible for up to two weeks after ignition.

Public and firefighter safety remain the highest priority. The planned burns by county include:

Lincoln County

Fort Spokane: One large pile northeast of Fort Spokane near the intersection of Miles Road and Cougi Lane.

Keller Ferry: One large pile southwest of the Keller Ferry Marina.

Spring Canyon: One large pile off Spring Canyon Campground Road.

Stevens County

Rickey 3: 20 acres north of Rickey Point Road.

Rickey North: Nine acres south of Rickey Point Road.

Evans: One large pile north of the Evans Boat Launch.

Kettle Falls: One large pile south of the Boise Cascade timber and wood facility on South Boise Road.

Gifford: One large pile east of the Gifford Boat Launch.

The prescribed burns are part of Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area's ongoing fire management program. NPS says they will promote forest health, reduce wildfire fuels near homes and infrastructure, and improve plant diversity. The burns will also return nutrients to the soil and help maintain forests that are more resilient to fire, insects and disease.

Fire managers carefully plan prescribed burns and conduct them under specific weather and fuel conditions. Wildland fire management activities conducted by the National Park Service are guided by agency management policies and federal wildland fire guidelines.