October 7,1983 Page 3
Spilyay Tymoo
Range Management. .
Fire becomes manager on range
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Spilyay Tym oo ph oto b y Leno
Walt Sixkiller, Fire Management officer, points out the area burned during the Tohet fire in
relation to the planned controlled burn held in September.
because they are able to grow in
rocky areas. They then, spread
to the grassy areas of the range.
The use of fire is the best
method range managers have
found to destroy juniper.
In September a controlled
burn of 1,500 acres on Miller
Flats through the combined
planning and efforts of Land
Operations, Forestry and Fire
ControLwas a part of a range
management plan for the
reservation. The area burned
has been of little use as a
grazing area because until
recently only a limited amount
of water was available. A well
drilled arid a pipeline laid for
six watering troughs was the
answ er to the w atering
problem. The problem was
then to upgrade the range,
bring back vegatation that
livestock could use to graze on.
Burning at the right time can
By Pat Leno
Some people may find it a
little hard to believe that the
supressiori of wildfires on range
lands has been detrimental to
good range management on the
r e s e rv a tio n . Y ears ag o ,
wildfires cleansed the ranges of
plant life that was of little value
to livestock and wildlife. With
the civilization and settlement
of the West these wildfires are
now not allowed to burn
uncontrolled.
Having fewer fires means
that the juniper trees have been
allowed to invade the range. A
main concern in having a large
growth of juniper take over the
range is that their water
systems do not hold the soil and
the trees use all the available
water, not sharing with other
plants. The juniper is able to
choke out other vegetation
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rejuvenate grasses and rid the
area of juniper. This fall
following good rainfall which
gave the soil increased moisture
c o n te n t and p r o v i d e d
conditions for the growth of
fuel for the use of fire a
controlled burn was planned.
Dean Elliott, soil conserva
tionist, said that in previous
years attempts were made in
the area for small burns and it
was of benefit to the range but
this year’s controlled burn
should be of great value to the
entire Miller Flats area.
While burning rids the range
of juniper it does little to
destroy the rabbitbrush which
is not termed as good foliage
for livestock. Burning does
enhance the bitterbrush which
is abundant on the range but
which has been allowed to grow
undisturbed. This has resulted
in the bitterbrush to grow large
Spilyay Tym oo ph oto b y Leno
A member of the Fire Management team watches as a clump of
juniper crown with fire, these juniper will not withstand the fire.
and woody in texture. Cattle
and horses feed well on tender
young shoots of the bitter-
brush; burning brings the brush
back tender. Bunchgrasses
which are native to the range
will also survive the burn and
return in the spring with the
new growth that will be tender
and will attract the stock.
The burn area extends the
area that was burned earlier
this summer. The lightening
caused Tohet Fire burned a
total of 9,254 acres. It burned
mostly juniper, sage and grass
land but it was a threat to the
living areas of Warm Springs
and Dry Creek so it was
supressesed.
The value of the controlled
burn in this range area will not
be seen by livestock owners for
another year and grazing in
that area should be avoided to
allow the range to recover. Fire
which can be destructive can
also be an aid in ridding the
range of vegetation that is of
little value to wildlife and
livestock.
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With the abundant amount of fuel needed to make the controlled burn a success, the burn should produce the needed effect for. good, range .conditions.