Planned Burns to Begin in March in WA State, Wildland Management

A total of 660 acres of public lands will be intentionally torched this spring, beginning in March.

  Dept of Fish and Wildlife doing planned burns in Central,  NE WA

Due to some milder winter weather, the DFW says some wildland and forest areas may have seen excessive growth, and are now slated for planned burns to get rid of debris and dead vegetation.

The three regions that the DFW will start off with are as follows:

• "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"

The total acreage to be burned is 660, according to officials. Many of the areas where these planned burns are taking place are close enough to communities or populated areas that cleaning them up will provide more fire safety.

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These burns are usually done in the early spring or late fall when cooler weather and more frequent rain help crews manage and control the burns the way they are intended.

The DFW says additional Eastern WA burns may take place later in the month.