Fuels Treatment & Prescribed Fire

Fuels Treatment

The Boise National Forest is working to address public health and safety concerns, while meeting natural resource objectives, by implementing a combination of prescribed fire and mechanical treatments across the forest. These land management actions reduce the risks of large wildfires and improve the health of the public lands the Boise is tasked with administering.

By raising canopy base heights, reducing surface fuels, and favoring fire tolerant species, both public land and surrounding communities become more resistant to extreme fire behavior. Fuel treatments also benefit wildlife habitat, increase air quality, and reduce insect and disease infestations.

Prescribed Fire

Prescribed fire, also known as Rx fire, is a controlled application of fire to fuels confined within a prepared area, under specific environmental and habitat “prescriptions.” These predefined “prescriptive” criteria include details such as fuel moisture levels, air temperatures, wind conditions and relative humidity specific to each planned project. 

If conditions fall outside the prescription for that particular burn (ie there is insufficient ventilation within the airshed), the burn must be cancelled. This means there are a limited number of windows in the spring and fall to burn, however, if the prescribed fuel and weather conditions are met Rx burns are conducted to meet resource management objectives and promote landscape resiliency by reducing fuel loads and minimizing the potential for severe wildfires. 

It also creates a safer environment for wildland firefighters responding to future fires in the area and helps maximize their ability to safely and efficiently suppress wildfires. There are many different types of prescribed burns to achieve these objectives. 

The Boise National Forest typically utilizes a combination of the following:

• Broadcast burns - Burns where fire is applied generally to most, or all, of the prepared project area. Broadcast burns are conducted in the spring or the fall season.

• Pile burns - Ignition of hand or machine piles of cut vegetation that have been allowed to dry out. Pile burns are typically done in the winter months when snow is on the ground so the fire and heat can be safely managed.

Air Quality

Effectively managing and minimizing smoke impacts from prescribed burns is a key concern of the Boise National Forest. Fire managers work closely with the Idaho Department Environmental Quality (IDEQ), the Montana Idaho Airshed Group (MIAG) and the National Weather Service to minimize smoke impacts and monitor air quality before, during and after a burn. 

These resources are open and available to the public. The MIAG reviews and approves all burns before they occur, posting results daily during burn season. Both AirNow and the IDEQ conduct real-time air monitoring and are great resources for air quality information.

Information on Upcoming Burns

For information on upcoming burns, visit interactive web map or check out the Boise National Forest Facebook. Another option is to contact the Forest Services offices, which are found in the menu under "About Us" then select "Offices".