Burning Snow

  It’s difficult to imagine a fire when there’s an inch or a foot of snow on the ground in places.  That’s a good thing though.  My comfort level or should I say anxiety level, starts to peak around the first week of May.  For those of you who don’t know why it’s because the Ham Lake Fire started on May 5, 2007 and lasted way too long.  I think I planned the Ham Run so I wouldn’t have time to think so much about that fire.  In any case, it’s nice to see the creeks and swamps full of ice, slush or running water and the more moisture the better for me.  Probably not want the USFS wants to see for their proposed prescribed burns. Oh and speaking of fire, check out our burning house on You Tube.

PRESS RELEASE
Superior National Forest
FOR RELEASE on April 16, 2009
Contact:  Mike Crook, Gunflint Ranger District, 218-387-1750
Superior National Forest Spring/Fall 2009 Prescribed Fire Projects
This 2009 season, the US Forest Service is planning to implement several prescribed fire projects on the Gunflint and Tofte Ranger Districts.   The purpose of these projects is to use controlled fire to reduce fuels, improve habitat, and prepare an area for regeneration.  

Prescribed fire projects for this season include:
Caribou Rock
Meeds Lake
Dawkins Lake
Extortion Lake
Duncan Lake
Border Units
Eighteen Mile Underburn
Tomahawk Underburn
Inga Creek Underburn
Site Preparation and Wildlife Burns

These prescribed fires are scheduled to occur during May/June and September/October, when the weather and conditions in the burn area are “within prescription” and favorable for meeting project objectives.   Notifications will be posted on the Superior National Forest website and released through the Cook and Lake County Local media sources.  

During the prescribed fires, the public can expect to see smoke over the area and additional fire personnel and resources including aircraft.

Information about these projects will be presented by the Forest Service during a public meeting to be held on April 29^th, 2009 at the Poplar Lake Volunteer Fire Hall at 5:00 p.m.

For more information and maps of the project areas, please check the Superior National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r9/superior.  Or call the Gunflint Ranger District at 218-387-1750 or Tofte Ranger District at 218-663-8060.