The Forest Service is planning to ignite a controlled burn Wednesday on Unit 9 of the Star Valley Front Vegetation Project.

The Star Valley Front Vegetation Treatment Project is located east of Star Valley and consists of a 64,612 acre project area with 31,477 acres of proposed burn units extending from Strawberry Creek south to Cottonwood Creek, from the forest boundary to the top of the Salt River Range. Unit 9, where today’s controlled burn is expected to take place, is located in the Strawberry area east of Turnerville.  This unit is approximately 2500 acres from Strawberry Creek to Cottonwood Creek and ignitions are expected to last two days. Smoke will be visible but impacts to communities should remain minimal.

According to the Forest Service, the main purpose for treating vegetation in the Star Valley Front Project Area is to begin restoring a balance of age classes in mountain shrubland, mountain big sagebrush, aspen, and conifer communities. The mix of succession stages is currently heavily skewed toward older age classes. Another important purpose is to improve the vigor of vegetation on mule deer and elk winter and transition range, which is particularly relevant given the great interest in deer and elk populations in the Star Valley area