Prescribed burns planned at Turnbull before fire season

MALDEN – Fire is being used to manage the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge ahead of the 2022 fire season.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting prescribed burns at the refuge between Malden and Cheney from early April through May, weather depending, the agency reported.

“Prescribed fire is a management technique used to improve wildlife habitat, forest health, and to reduce the damaging impacts from catastrophic wildfire,” an agency spokesman said.

“Prescribed burning activities should have little to no impact on access to the majority of refuge public use areas.”

Prescribed fire operations are implemented following the State of Washington’s Smoke Management Plan.

Burning only occurs when weather conditions and smoke dispersion are favorable.

During burns, smoke is likely to be visible from Malden, Rosalia and along U.S. Highway 195, among other areas in northern Whitman County, officials said.

Dates of the prescribed burns were not released.

Officials hope the prescribed burns will alleviate fire condions later

this summer and prevent blazes like the Babb Road Fire that burned from the Rosalia area to west of Pine City on Labor Day two years ago.