• Part of Star Valley Front Vegetation plan.
SVI Media/B-T Forest
The Greys River Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest plans to implement up to a 2,000-acre burn in the Star Valley Front Vegetation Project located on the forest between Afton and Grover, WY.
The Star Valley Front Vegetation Project is a 31,477-acre project area that extends from Strawberry Creek south to Cottonwood Creek, from the forest boundary to the top of the Salt River Range. The main purpose for treating vegetation in the project area is to begin restoring a balance of age classes in mountain shrub land, mountain big sagebrush, aspen and conifer communities. The area is generally dominated by older trees. 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. The Star Valley Project is comprised of nine units that will be implemented as seasonality allows.
The Star Valley Project, Unit 2, is broken into two different areas. The first unit we are treating is comprised of the southwest facing slopes visible from Afton and Grover. It consists of timber, grass and mountain brush. The larger timber stands will not be targeted for this burn, but encroaching conifer trees into the mountain shrub land may be burned to reach project objectives. The second 1,752-acre unit will be treated at a later date.
Additional objectives of the burn are to:
• Restore fire to its natural role on the landscape.
• Reduce fuel loading on the landscape in order to reduce the extent and severity of future wildfire, both for firefighter safety and for resource protection.
This project is expected to be carried out anytime in the spring between April 1 and May 30, 2024, when snow has melted from the south facing slope but still exists in the adjacent fuels surrounding the unit. Firefighters will use this snow as a holding feature to prevent fire spread outside the unit. Actual ignition dates will be dependent on meeting strict parameters for weather and fire behavior conditions. The communities of Afton and Grover as well as forest visitors camping and recreating in the area, may experience short term smoky conditions in the vicinity of the burn unit during ignition operations.
Because the burn will consume primarily fine fuels, smoke duration will be short lived as the fuels will consume quickly. Residents can expect smoky conditions the day of the burn and into the overnight hours. Some smoke may exist the following day but should dissipate considerably thereafter. Roads and trails should remain open to the public, however certain areas may be closed for a short period of time if deemed that public and firefighter safety may be impacted during portions of the burn.
This vegetation treatment is an inter-agency cooperative effort with Wyoming Game & Fish Department and the United States Forest Service in agreement with the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Account of Wyoming, funding support for this and future projects exists.
For more information about this project, contact Greys River Ranger District at 307-886-5300.
