North Hart Prescribed Fire Final Update

Fire crews wrapped up much of the treatment on the North Hart Prescribed Fire in Valle Vidal today. Here’s the latest:

• With the assistance of a helicopter, crews completed ignitions on the remaining acres of the 1,871-acre unit. Some clean-up ignitions may occur on Sunday.
• Personnel will pivot to a long-term patrol and monitor plan as fuels continue to burn. Smoke will continue to be visible from the area but not as heavy as during ignitions.
• The completion of ignitions today adds to a large continuous area of forest, now about 24,000 acres, that has been treated with fire over the past several years. The ponderosa and dry mixed conifer forests of the Valle Vidal need regular fire to maintain ecosystem health.
• Like yesterday, fire personnel from various partner agencies participated in today’s work: Vermejo Reserve/Colfax County Fire Dept., Red River Fire Dept. the Nature Conservancy/Ember Alliance and National Park Service. Students from the National Interagency Prescribed Fire Training Center also helped.
• Additionally, fire staff from across the Carson National Forest, as well as from archeology and recreation, came together to make this project happen.

Project Background

The North Hart Prescribed Fire is a cross-boundary burn between Carson National Forest and Vermejo Reserve. It’s the first project on the forest that uses a congressionally authorized tool known as a Wyden Agreement to collaboratively conduct restoration work across boundaries to protect, restore and enhance fish and wildlife habitat.

The unit is about evenly split between Forest Service and Vermejo Reserve lands. The area last experienced fire in 2002 during the Ponil Complex Fire, and this work helps maintain the health of fire-dependent ponderosa stands and grasslands.

The public can learn more about prescribed fires on the Carson National Forest at fs.usda.gov/goto/CarsonRx.

(Photo: Members of the Red River Fire Department assist with ignitions on the North Hart Prescribed Fire on Oct. 25)