BAKER, NV – National Park Service firefighters are preparing to burn 30 acres of piles in the Lehman Flats area of Great Basin National Park. The piles, located along the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive near Lower Lehman Campground, are the result of aggressive efforts by park managers to reduce hazardous vegetation (known as fuels) and the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
No road, trail, or campground closures are expected, but visitors are asked to stay clear of burning piles and to be watchful for firefighters and vehicles along park roads.
Firefighters from Lake Mead National Recreation Area will begin igniting the piles only when prescriptions for weather conditions, fuel moisture, and snow cover have been met. The project is expected to begin next week and continue into early February, depending on conditions.
Smoke from the piles will be visible from many areas in and around the park, including Lehman Caves Visitor Center, Baker, and Snake Valley. Please do not report this smoke; local law enforcement and firefighters will be aware of burn operations.
Great Basin National Park managers are working to reverse the effects of decades of fire exclusion and restore natural fire ecology. For more information about the park’s fire management program, visit https://www.nps.gov/grba/learn/nature/fire.htm.
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