Enterprise Community Wildfire Protection Project is Underway

Contact: Paul Briggs (435) 865-3002

Enterprise, Utah—October 8, 2008—The Bureau of Land Mangement (BLM), Color Country District is working to reduce the risk of wildfire to the community of Enterprise, Utah.   The 350 acre hazardous fuels reduction project is located approximately one mile southwest of Enterprise and will achieve other natural resource management objectives in conjunction with community wildfire protection.  This project will continue through 2009.

This project is part of an Interagency, three phase vegetation management project designed to improve watershed conditions, improve crucial mule deer winter range and reduce hazardous fuels within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) area of Enterprise.  The project will connect previous fuels reduction work conducted by the United States Forest Service, BLM and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR).  The current project will be visible from the town of Enterprise and from all major roads systems surrounding the community.  Vegetation will be removed in a mosaic pattern, leaving islands of treated and untreated vegetation.  The mechanical thinning of pinyon and juniper trees is one of many treatment options used by the BLM and will provide similar resource benefits to that of a prescribed fire.

Vegetation will be reduced by a mechanical chipper-shredder, often referred to as a “Bullhog.”  Removal of encroaching pinyon and juniper will allow for more productive, desired grasses, forbs and trees to return to the site.  To facilitate this common practice, a mix of fire resistant grasses and forbs suitable to the site will be aerial seeded. Seeding will also reduce soil erosion, maintain and improve wildlife habitat, restore natural succession, improve water quality and quantity, reduce the risk of invading cheat grass, and reduces the risk of large wildfires in WUI communities.

This is a cooperative project between BLM and Utah Partners for Conservation and Development (UPCD), a statewide consortium of local sportsmen groups and landowners and other state and federal partners. 

For additional information, please contact Paul Briggs at the Cedar City BLM (435) 865-3002.