The Washington state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is planning prescribed burns on up to 30 locations within Capitol State Forest this fall to remove piles of slash and debris from recent forest management activities from the landscape.
This will be the first time since 2021 that DNR has conducted widespread pile burns in Capitol Forest.
DNR is committed to conducting all prescribed fires with safety as the number one priority, it stated in a news release. Staff follow a burn plan drafted to guide operations within a specific range of optimal weather and ground conditions for the prescribed burn to meet its objectives.
The burns are focused primarily on reducing wildfire risk in the area. Multiple units slated for pile burning this fall were impacted earlier this year by human-caused wildfire.
Because safety is paramount when conducting prescribed burns, slight changes to expected conditions the day of a burn may require delaying or postponing a burn on short notice. Some burns may not take place until early December.
Residents can sign up for the notification system on the DNR burn portal website at https://burnportal.dnr.wa.gov/ to receive location-specific alerts about upcoming prescribed burns.
The smoke impacts from prescribed fire are minimal and short-lived compared to those caused by wildfire, the news release stated. Some pile burns planned for Capitol Forest may produce smoke or flames visible from nearby roads, including state Route 8 and Delphi Road Southwest.
Outdoor recreationists and hunters are always encouraged to check closure information frequently to ensure the areas they plan to visit are open.
Residents can check local air quality at fire.airnow.gov during and after a prescribed burn.
