US Forest Service Burning Slash Piles South Of Chadron Today

CHADRON - The US Forest Service is taking advantage of the weekend snow to burn a number of piles of timber slash today on the Pine Ridge Ranger District south of Chadron State Park.

Agency fire officers say the limbs and other timber debris in the slash piles remain very dry despite the weekend moisture while the snow on the ground all but eliminates the chance of the slash pile fires spreading.

Piling and burning debris from commercial and fire-prevention cutting and thinning as well as from past wildfires both eliminates fuel that could feed future wildfires and returns nutrients to the forest floor.

Smoke from the slash burns will be visible around the region today and likely tomorrow as well - possibly even longer.