The Black Hills National Forest postponed today’s planned Witch Prescribed Burn in the Hell Canyon Ranger District near Pringle because the conditions weren’t right.
Every fire plan has conditions and criteria such as temperature, wind, humidity, and fuel moisture that must be met on the day of a burn to go forward and Hell Canyon Fire Management Officer Todd Hoover says they didn’t today.
Hoover says safety is the primary focus when considering a prescribed burn and that there is no hesitation to postpone if the conditions don’t meet the criteria, adding that they’ll keep looking for an opportunity to go ahead with the Witch Burn.
The Forest Service uses prescribed burns for the long-term health of the forest, mimicking the natural pattern of periodic fires that clear built-up fuels and overgrowth to mitigate the risk for large-scale wildfires in the future.
Burns also improve habitat in the Black Hills by keeping ponderosa pines from taking over meadows and removing invasive species will aiding native species, including some that need fires periodically to thrive.