The project, identified as the Meloy Cooperative Prescribed Burn, is part of an ongoing effort to improve forest health, reduce hazardous wildfire fuels, and enhance wildlife habitat throughout the region.
Burning operations will take place only when weather, fuel moisture, and other environmental conditions permit safe and effective implementation. Actual ignition dates may change depending on conditions.
Residents and visitors traveling through the Nile Valley, Bethel Ridge, and surrounding areas may notice smoke during these operations. Smoke observed in the vicinity of the designated burn areas may be associated with these planned activities.
Project area
Where will the burning take place?
The Meloy Cooperative Prescribed Burn project includes three designated treatment units on Bethel Ridge:
- Meloy Unit 1: Approximately 717 acres, including 662 acres managed by DNR and 55 acres managed by WDFW.
- Meloy Unit 2: Approximately 187 acres.
- Meloy Unit 3: Approximately 89 acres.
Together, the three units encompass approximately 993 acres of designated treatment area, although this does not mean all acreage will necessarily be burned during a single operational period.
The project area is near portions of the landscape affected by the 2021 Schneider Springs Fire and previous prescribed burning conducted in the Cougar Canyon area between 2020 and 2023.
Healthy fire
Why prescribed burning matters
Fire is a natural and necessary part of many forest ecosystems throughout Central Washington. For generations, periodic low-intensity fires helped maintain healthy forests, recycle nutrients, and prevent excessive accumulations of dead vegetation.
Decades of fire suppression and changing forest conditions have allowed hazardous fuels to accumulate in many areas. Those conditions can contribute to larger, more intense, and more destructive wildfires. Prescribed burning is one of the tools land managers use to address these challenges.
Reducing wildfire fuels
Prescribed burning removes pine needles, dead branches, brush, and other combustible vegetation. Reducing these fuels can decrease future wildfire intensity and improve opportunities for firefighters to protect communities and natural resources.
Improving forest health
Carefully managed fire recycles nutrients into the soil, reduces competition from excessive undergrowth, and supports healthier, more resilient forest ecosystems.
Enhancing wildlife habitat
By reducing dense vegetation and encouraging native grasses, shrubs, and other plants, prescribed fire can improve forage and habitat for deer, elk, and many other species.
Protecting communities
Prescribed burning cannot eliminate wildfire risk, but it can reduce the severity of future fires and support a more resilient landscape around communities like Nile and Cliffdell.
During operations
What residents should expect
Residents and visitors may notice smoke rising from Bethel Ridge and surrounding areas. Smoke may also be visible from portions of the State Route 410 corridor and nearby communities, depending on wind direction and atmospheric conditions. The presence of smoke does not necessarily indicate an uncontrolled wildfire.
Never assume that all smoke is associated with prescribed burning. If you observe an unattended fire, threatening fire behavior, or smoke from an unexpected location, report it to 911.
Individuals sensitive to smoke, particularly those with respiratory conditions, should monitor local air quality and take appropriate precautions when smoke is present.
Long-term resilience
A proactive approach to wildfire management
Nile-Cliffdell Fire & Rescue supports responsible, science-based forest management practices that improve the long-term health and resilience of the landscapes surrounding our communities.
Projects such as the Meloy Cooperative Prescribed Burn demonstrate the importance of proactive land management and cooperation between agencies. While smoke from prescribed burning can be inconvenient, these carefully planned operations can play an important role in reducing the potential impacts of future wildfires.
A little good fire, under the right conditions, can help prevent a much more destructive fire in the future.
We appreciate the continued efforts of the Washington Department of Natural Resources and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to improve forest health, enhance wildlife habitat, and reduce wildfire hazards in our region.