Wildland firefighters will be conducting a prescribed burn on the National Elk Refuge sometime between Monday and May 7th, as conditions allow. This will be the first prescribed broadcast burn on the refuge in 20 years.
This burn will reduce hazard fuel loadings to help reduce the risk of catastrophic fire as well as help accomplish habitat objectives by improving habitat quality for bison and elk, increasing elk and bison use of the north end of the Refuge, and mitigating disease risk.
The burn will occur on lowland grassland meadows on the northern portion of the refuge. Fish and Wildlife Service fire management employees from the Rocky Basin Fire Management Zone, of which the National Elk Refuge is encompassed, will be implementing and managing the burn.
Assistance from the Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch Center and local wildland fire resources will be utilized. Smoke may be visible from HWY 89 and from the Town of Jackson.
