Forest Service suspension on prescribed fires to impact scheduled burns on Superior National Forest

U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore cited extreme fire danger and unfavorable weather conditions Friday in announcing a suspension of all planned fire burning operations to clear brush and small trees on all national forest lands while his agency conducts a review of protocols and practices ahead of planned operations this fall.

His decision came as federal forecasters warned that expanding drought conditions coupled with hot and dry weather, extreme wind and unstable atmospheric conditions have led to explosive fire behavior in the southwestern U.S. The fires that are set on purpose are called prescribed burns or fires.

The U.S. Forest Service has faced heavy criticism for a prescribed fire in New Mexico that escaped its containment lines in April and joined with another blaze to form what is now the largest fire burning nationally.

Moore said that in 99.84% of cases, prescribed fires go as planned and are a valuable tool for reducing the threat of extreme fires by removing dead and down trees and other vegetation that serves as fuel in overgrown forests.

Officials with Superior National Forest were planning a pair of large prescribed burns in the WTIP listening area this month, one near the Sawbill Trail and another near Greenwood Lake in Cook County.

A long winter with an abundance of snow and plenty of rain in late April and early May had wildfire officials in northeastern Minnesota optimistic for a calm start to the season in terms of fire danger

One prescribed fire of about 750 acres was scheduled for an area near Sunfish Lake, not far from Greenwood Lake.

The other prescribed burn scheduled for this spring was the Kawishiwi Lakes fire. It would have been an estimated 2,000 acres in size.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Joe Friedrichs May 22, 2022