SPOKANE — Annual prescribed fires on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife-managed lands in Eastern Washington are scheduled to start in March, as conditions allow, according to a Thursday announcement from the WDFW. 

According to the announcement, prescribed fires on WDFW wildlife areas reduce the risk of future wildfires, reduce the severity of wildfires when they do happen, restore forest health, and improve wildlife habitat.

“The mild conditions this winter allow us to begin burning earlier than usual on WDFW-managed lands, and this is a good time to reduce hazardous fire conditions before the wildfire season starts,” said WDFW Prescribed Fire Manager Matt Eberlein. “Prescribed fires are monitored continuously until they are out, with public safety a primary concern.”  

The statement said WDFW conducts prescribed fires every spring and fall, as appropriate, on public lands the Department manages statewide. With WDFW-managed lands often located close to communities, prescribed fire is particularly important to protect both wildlife habitat and public safety, the statement said. There is a small window of time when prescribed burns can be conducted when the weather is cool but not too wet.

“The areas slated for prescribed fire this spring are limited to portions of wildlife areas, leaving hundreds or thousands more acres for public access,” Eberlein said. 

WDFW is planning to treat approximately 660 acres of Eastern Washington wildlife areas with prescribed fire by the end of the 2024 spring season. Fires in the following areas may begin in March:

• Rustlers Gulch Wildlife Area, Rustlers Gulch, 250 acres in Pend Oreille County, 20 miles west of Newport

• Methow Wildlife Area, 110 acres in Okanogan County, 1 mile northwest of Winthrop and 5 miles southwest of Twisp

• LT Murray Wildlife Area, Hutchins Road, 300 acres in Kittitas County, 15 miles west of Ellensburg

Additional burns on WDFW-managed Eastern Washington lands could be announced if conditions allow, the announcement stated. Signs are posted in advance of all prescribed fires to inform recreationists, but smoke and visibility can still be an issue.

The announcements asked the public to watch for fire personnel or equipment and slow down if experiencing reduced visibility while driving.