If you see thick smoke rising from the Tavaputs Plateau on the east side of Carbon County over the next few days, do not call 911.
The Utah Division of Forestry is igniting a prescribed fire on land overloaded with dead and dying timber.
The operation is taking place on more than 1,000 acres of state and private land on the Plateau.
The closest burn area is seven miles northeast of East Carbon.
The fire is being ignited aerially via helicopter or “helitorch”. Hand crews and fire engines will manage the fire’s spread and confine it to the prescribed areas.
Smoke will be visible from the surrounding valleys, but fire managers plan to ignite small, separate parcels to keep smoke production to acceptable levels.
Most of the smoke and flames will be mostly limited through Saturday or Sunday. Smoke may be visible in the following weeks, but crews will monitor the fire and keep it contained to the prescribed areas until it is out.
Land managers are anticipating a productive fire that will consume the buildup of dead trees. The burning will simulate the natural occurrence of fire which promotes healthy, new growth and greater plant diversity. Not only will the reduction in built up fuel benefit the ecosystem, it will also reduce the severity of future wildfires in the area.
The fire area is east of Range Valley Mountain Road. Caution is advised as traffic from fire vehicles can be expected on all roads near Bruin Point. To ensure public safety, access to Range Valley Mountain Road will be closed at Bruin Point.
Updates on the progress of the burn will be available at: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3892/ and on Twitter @UtahWildfire.
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