As I write this post I have about 9 inches of snow in my yard from a snowfall on January 25th, others areas in New Jersey and environs got more snow, see this page from the Northeast Regional Climate Center for more information on this storm. I am not here to report on the winter weather. I was curious about the effects of winter snowfall on wildfire operations, e.g. what sort of operations can happen on snow covered lands in the winter. I did a brief search on line and found that certain kinds of prescribed burns, known as pile burning are very effective on snow covered lands in US Forest Service lands. During warmer weather when US Forest Service crews engage in fuel reductions by removing larger trees, often those that are dead or in the process of dying as well as removing smaller brush. Large logs can be used as building materials. That leaves smaller limbs and brush. Smaller limbs and brush are gathered in piles that are burned in the winter. Burning these piles in the winter is known as pile burning. See this 2023 document from the U.S. Forest Service for more information In the short video that I am embedding below, you will learn more about pile burning.
CAL FIRE (CDF) S2T Tanker 71 working Sawtooth Complex Fire (2006)
Sawtooth Complex Fire (Sept. 2006), San Bernardino County CA. Photo Credit: U.S. Forest Service
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