A 62-acre pile burning project will begin in the north area of Shevlin Park on Monday, Jan. 5. The parking area along Shevlin Park Road will be closed throughout operations, which is expected to last five days. All other areas of Shevlin Park will remain open during the forest health project.
Started in 2022, the BPRD Natural Resources team treated the forested slope east of Tumalo Creek for hazardous fuels reduction and forest health. Piles were created out of slash material intended for burning.
Signage is in place, closing the parking area along Shevlin Park Road east of Aspen Hall for operations and equipment staging. Parking will remain closed after active operations for monitoring and mop up.
“Prescribed fire such as pile burning is a critical tool for fuel reduction as it directly addresses the region’s fire-adapted ecosystems, climate and wildfire risk near our communities. Burning the material in controlled operations now decreases combustible materials available during wildfire season, reduces rates of spread and the likelihood of crown fire, all while improving soil and watershed health,” says Zara Hickman, Natural Resources and Trails Manager for BPRD.
During the active burning period, nearby residents and park visitors will see and smell smoke. People are encouraged to keep their doors and windows closed during the burning and the evening following the burning to reduce impacts from smoke.
Most smoke should move out of the area within a day or two; however, there may be some smoldering for multiple days.
Contractors and district staff will monitor the area for several days following the burn. For park visitor safety, district staff strongly encourage adherence to trail closures in and around burn operations as hotspots may persist.
More information on BPRD fire management is here.