BLM Buffalo to Conduct Prescribed Burns in Johnson County

A prescribed burn in southern Johnson County could begin in the next few days according to the Bureau of Land Management Buffalo Field Office. Burning in the Beartrap Meadow area along Hazelton Road may start before the end of this month and could continue throughout the fall as weather and fuel conditions allow. All BLM prescribed burn projects are conducted in accordance with approved burn plans that specify weather, smoke dispersal, and fuel moisture conditions. Smoke may be visible at times from surrounding areas.

This planned burn is the second phase of a multi-phase project to help create and improve healthy ecological function of the area while benefiting local wildlife. The project will also reduce fuels and the risk of large wildfires. The first phase of the Beartrap Meadow project was burned in the fall of 2022 and yielded successful results. The BLM is coordinating with adjacent private landowners and the State of Wyoming to reduce the density of mountain big sagebrush in the area. Through controlled burning, the goal of the project is to improve the ecological health, function, and structural diversity of the sagebrush.