The U.S. Forest Service has started burning slash in Cooper Landing, part of a project to mitigate the fire risk of fallen trees and reduce beetle kill in the area this winter and spring.
Chugach National Forest fire management staff will conduct burns on forest land near the Quartz Creek, Crescent Creek and Russian River campgrounds in Cooper Landing, as well as the Hope Point trailhead in Hope, according to a recent statement from the Forest Service.
Already, staff have started burning piles in Cooper Landing. On Jan. 23 and 24, fire management staff burned a slash pile near Quartz Creek Campground. The work created residual smoke along the Sterling Highway, and the Forest Service warned motorists to use caution.
The Forest Service says the goal of the project is to get rid of slash piles, the result of spruce bark beetle destruction. The other purpose is to get rid of material that could potentially pose a fire risk in the forest. According to the statement, the Forest Service plans to conduct burns on roughly 200 acres of forest for that purpose.
Staff say they’re planning to monitor weather conditions to avoid the dangerous dispersion of smoke into areas that may affect the public or drivers.
