Early Prescribed Burn Coming To Portion Of Methow Wildlife Area

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will conduct a prescribed burn on a portion of the Golden Doe Unit of Methow Wildlife Area on Tuesday.

The Golden Doe Unit about 100 north of Wenatchee in Okanogan County is closed during the winter to allow mule deer to occupy the area.

The agency says the Golden Doe Unit will open to the public earlier than the other closed units after burning is completed.

It also said the mild winter and dry early spring require the prescribed burning to be done earlier this spring.

Fish and Wildlife cautioned that smoke and visibility could be an issue with the burning, and the date of the burning could be adjusted depending on weather conditions.

The Golden Doe Unit prescribed burn is part of a Recreation and Conservation Office funded shrubsteppe restoration project where WDFW is working to restore approximately 80 acres of abandoned agricultural fields back to native vegetation.

The aim is to strategically burn invasive weeds under controlled conditions in order to reduce the risk of uncontrolled wildfires. The move is intended to minimizes the potential for larger, destructive fires in the future.