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ST. GEORGE — Over the last year, record wildfires have raged across the west, including the devastating Brian Head fire in Southern Utah. The Bureau of Land Management is currently seeking public comment on its plans to reduce such catastrophic infernos in the future.
The BLM is conducting public meetings in six western states to gather input on the preparation of two programmatic environmental impact statements, or PEIS, aimed at reducing wildfires and restoring sagebrush steppe habitat.
The impact statements will analyze future projects in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah and California. Southern Utah residents will have a chance to sound off on the plans at a public meeting in Cedar City Feb. 14.
Comments will be accepted for an analysis of fuels breaks, which are designed slow the advance of wildfire and reduce the threat to life and property, among other benefits.
“The fuel break PEIS will help us to limit the size of wildfires and provide better protection for the public and firefighters,” said John Ruhs, BLM Nevada state director.
Comments are also solicited for the analysis of restoration work of burned areas, which includes an emphasis on replacing invasive species with native and other species more conducive to sagebrush-steppe health.
