Comment Period for Infrastructure Thinning Project

The Bighorn National Forest Service has opened the public comment period for a infrastructure thinning project.  Sheridan Medias’ Ron Richter has the details.

Bighorn National Forest Supervisor Andrew Johnson is seeking public comment on the Forest Wide Infrastructure Thinning Project. Comments on the proposed action must be submitted prior to 11:59 pm MST, February 11 to be considered part of the project record. You can submit a comment by visiting this page.

According to the Forest Service, the intent of the project is to thin dense timber stands around key infrastructure sites. Fire risk and fire hazards are greater around campgrounds, lodges, cabins, and other infrastructure due to high recreational use. The presence of recreational use can be a source of fire ignition from campfires, smoking, or vehicle fires and the risk of someone being injured or property damage from a wildfire in those areas also goes up because that is where higher numbers of people and their property are located. The presence of dense timber stands near the sites increases the fire hazard. If appropriate, the proposed project will be analyzed under a categorical exclusion. This analysis does not require a public scoping period; however, planners hope for input during the comment period or any time prior to the project’s completion.