Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife plan prescribed burns near Spokane and Colville

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is planning prescribed burns throughout the Inland Northwest this spring.

WDFW said it plans to treat nearly 500 acres of land with prescribed burns by the end of the spring season.

Burns include:

150 acres in Pend Oreille County, 20 miles north of Spokane at Rustlers Gulch Unit in the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area350 acres in Ferry County, 10 miles west of Colville at Sherman Creek Unit in the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area

“We can create and maintain wildlife habitat on these valuable ecosystems through low-to-moderate intensity fires, often after other forest management work has reduced fire fuel levels,” said Rob Lionberger, WDFW statewide prescribed fireplanner.

The department said burns can rejuvenate important plant species that are eaten by local wildlife.

WDFW also said it plans to conduct a prescribed burn about 10 miles northwest of Ephrata on the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area.

Crews will monitor all burns and continuously work to minimize smoke.