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60-769: About 30 miles (48 km) long, the valley is in Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) in the Sawtooth National Forest . It is surrounded by the Sawtooth Mountains to the west, White Cloud Mountains to the east, Salmon River Mountains to the north, and Boulder and Smoky Mountains to the south. The valley contains the headwaters of the Salmon River , the city of Stanley , and community of Sawtooth City . Idaho State Highway 75 (SH-75), also known as

120-451: A back fire is the term given to the process of lighting vegetation in such a way that it has to burn against the prevailing wind. This produces a slower moving and more controllable fire. Controlled burns utilize back burning during planned fire events to create a "black line" where fire cannot burn through. Back burning or backfiring is also done to stop a wildfire that is already in progress. Firebreaks are also used as an anchor point to start

180-451: A burn-off. In industrialized countries, controlled burning regulations and permits are usually overseen by fire control authorities. Controlled burns are conducted during the cooler months to reduce fuel buildup and decrease the likelihood of more dangerous, hotter fires. Controlled burning stimulates the germination of some trees and reveals soil mineral layers which increases seedling vitality. In grasslands , controlled burns shift

240-402: A fuel ladder and begin an active crown fire . Predictions show thinned forests lead to a reduction in fire intensity and flame lengths of forest fires compared to untouched or fire-proofed areas. Aerial ignition is a type of controlled burn where incendiary devices are released from aircraft. There are two basic causes of wildfires . One is natural, mainly through lightning, and the other

300-429: A line of fires along natural or man-made features such as a river, road or a bulldozed clearing. Head fires, that burn with the prevailing wind, are used between two firebreaks because head fires will burn more intensely and move faster than a back burn. Head fires are used when a back burn would move too slowly through the fuel either because the fuel moisture is high or the wind speed is low. Another method to increase

360-553: A long-term cumulative reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. One working example is the West Arnhem Fire Management Agreement, started to bring "strategic fire management across 28,000 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi) of Western Arnhem Land" to partially offset greenhouse gas emissions from a liquefied natural gas plant in Darwin , Australia. Deliberately starting controlled burns early in

420-639: A ranger station in Stanley , near its northern boundary. The SNRA was created on August 22, 1972 by Pub. L.   92–400 , which including creating the Sawtooth Wilderness from the Sawtooth Primitive Area. The White Clouds and Hemingway–Boulders wilderness areas were created on August 7, 2015 by Public Law 114-46. Between 1998 and 2010 an outbreak of Mountain pine beetle killed thousands of Lodgepole Pine across

480-406: A unique evolution with fire, quickly replacing damaged buds or stems in the case of danger . They also carry their seeds in capsules which can be deposited at any time of the year . During a wildfire, the capsules drop nearly all of their seeds and the fire consumes the eucalypt adults, but most of the seeds survive using the ash as a source of nutrients. At their rate of growth, they quickly dominate

540-482: A way that benefited humans and wildlife in forests and grasslands by starting low-intensity fires that released nutrients for plants, reduced competition for cultivated species, and consumed excess flammable material that otherwise would eventually fuel high-intensity, catastrophic fires. The use of controlled burns in North America ended in the early 20th century, when federal fire policies were enacted with

600-627: A wick at the end that is used to ignite the lines of fire. Safe zones are established to ensure personnel know where the fire cannot cross either because of natural barriers like bodies of water or human-made barriers like tilled earth. During ignition, the Burn Boss relays information about the fire (flame length, flame height, the percent of ground that has been blackened) to the Communications Officer who documents this information. The Communications Officer relays information about

660-701: Is a national recreation area in central Idaho , United States that is managed as part of Sawtooth National Forest . The recreation area, established on August 22, 1972, is managed by the U.S. Forest Service , and includes the Sawtooth , Hemingway–Boulders , and Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds wilderness areas. Activities within the 730,864-acre (2,957.70 km ) recreation area include hiking , backpacking , White water rafting , camping , rock climbing , kayaking , mountain biking , fishing , and hunting . The SNRA headquarters are about seven miles (11 km) north of Ketchum on Highway 75 . SNRA also has

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720-449: Is a land management tool. Fire was a part of the landscapes of Ontario until early colonial rule restricted indigenous culture in across Canada. During colonization, large scale forest fires were caused by sparks from railroads and fire was used to clear land for agriculture use. The public perception of forest fires was positive because the cleared land represented taming the wilderness to an urban populace. The conservation movement, which

780-471: Is human activity. Controlled burns have a long history in wildland management. Fire has been used by humans to clear land since the Neolithic period. Fire history studies have documented regular wildland fires ignited by indigenous peoples in North America and Australia prior to the establishment of colonial law and fire suppression. Native Americans frequently used fire to manage natural environments in

840-501: Is seen as one component of shifting cultivation , as a part of field preparation for planting. Often called field burning, this technique is used to clear the land of any existing crop residue as well as kill weeds and weed seeds. Field burning is less expensive than most other methods such as herbicides or tillage, but because it produces smoke and other fire-related pollutants, its use is not popular in agricultural areas bounded by residential housing. Prescribed fires are broadly used in

900-851: Is the highest point in the Sawtooth Mountains, while Saviers Peak at 10,441 feet (3,182 m) is the highest point in the Smoky Mountains. The headwaters of the Salmon River , also known as the "River of No Return" are in the SNRA, and the river flows north through the Sawtooth Valley before turning east in Stanley and following the northern border of the SNRA. The headwaters of the Big Wood , Boise , and Payette rivers are also in SNRA. There are hundreds of lakes in

960-444: Is the practice of intentionally setting a fire to change the assemblage of vegetation and decaying material in a landscape. The purpose could be for forest management , ecological restoration , land clearing or wildfire fuel management. A controlled burn may also refer to the intentional burning of slash and fuels through burn piles. Controlled burns may also be referred to as hazard reduction burning , backfire , swailing or

1020-456: Is used by farmers for plant health reasons under several restrictions in cross-compliance regulations. In the north of Great Britain , large areas of grouse moors are managed by burning in a practice known as muirburn. This kills trees and grasses, preventing natural succession, and generates the mosaic of ling (heather) of different ages which allows very large populations of red grouse to be reared for shooting. The peat-lands are some of

1080-544: The Yellowstone fires of 1988 occurred, which significantly politicized fire management. The ensuing media coverage was a spectacle that was vulnerable to misinformation. Reports drastically inflated the scale of the fires which disposed politicians in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana to believe that all fires represented a loss of revenue from tourism. Paramount to the new action plans is the suppression of fires that threaten

1140-548: The soil , damaging it physically , chemically or sterilizing it. Broadcast burns tend to have lower temperatures and will not harm the soil as much as pile burning, though steps can be taken to treat the soil after a burn. In lop and scatter burning, slash is left to compact over time, or is compacted with machinery. This produces a lower intensity fire, as long as the slash is not packed too tightly. The risk of fatal fires that stem from burning slash can also be reduced by proactively reducing ground fuels before they can create

1200-493: The 20th century, fire control authorities began reintroducing controlled burns and indigenous leadership into land management. Controlled burning reduces fuels , improves wildlife habitat , controls competing vegetation, helps control tree disease and pests , perpetuates fire dependent species and improves accessibility . To improve the application of prescribed burns for conservation goals, which may involve mimicking historical or natural fire regimes, scientists assess

1260-425: The SNRA, most of which have been created by alpine glaciers. The largest lakes are Redfish , Alturas , Pettit , Yellow Belly , Stanley , and Sawtooth lakes. Timber wolves were reintroduced in the 1990s and plans to reintroduce grizzly bears have been abandoned. The SNRA contains prime habitat for wolverines and the endangered Canadian lynx , but no recent sightings have been reported. Bull trout are

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1320-532: The Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA). The program generates roughly $ 50,000, annually — to date, 219 projects benefitting the SNRA have been funded through this innovative program. The Idaho Department of Motor Vehicles created a license plate depicting the SNRA as part of their special license plate program intended to grant funds for various causes. (see right ). The Sawtooth Interpretive and Historical Association (SIHA)

1380-602: The Sawtooth Scenic Byway, transverses the valley's entire length. SH-75 enters the valley from the south at Galena Summit and exits to the north near Stanley. SH-75 was formerly designated as U.S. Route 93 , which is now routed through Arco . Sawtooth Valley contains several large lakes in the SNRA , including Redfish , Alturas , Pettit , and Stanley lakes. Valley floor elevations range from just under 6,300 feet (1,920 m) near Stanley to over 7,500 feet (2,290 m) below Galena Summit. Elevations along

1440-566: The Sawtooth Valley. In recent years forest management activity has increased in the form of Prescribed Fire , commercial Logging , and non-commercial thinning of dead and diseased trees throughout the Sawtooth NRA. Active Forest management is designed to reduce hazardous wildfire fuel, restore beetle killed forests, regenerate young growth, and prevent the further spread of Bark beetle and disease such as dwarf mistletoe . Forest management activities have been developed and supported by

1500-409: The age of a stand or the assemblage of species. To minimize the impact of smoke , burning should be restricted to daylight hours whenever possible. Furthermore, in temperate climates, it is important to burn grasslands and prairies before native species begin growing for the season so that only non-native species, which send up shoots earlier in the spring, are affected by the fire. Back burning or

1560-426: The composition of plants from non-native species to native species. These controlled burns occur during the early spring before native plants begin actively growing, when soil moisture is higher and when the fuel load on the ground is low to ensure that the controlled burn remains low intensity. Controlled burns reduce the amount of understory fuel so when a wildfire enters the area, a controlled burn site can reduce

1620-592: The context of woody plant encroachment , with the aim of improving the balance of woody plants and grasses in shrublands and grasslands. In Northern-India, especially in Punjab , Haryana , and Uttar Pradesh , unregulated burning of agricultural waste is a major problem. Smoke from these fires leads to degradation in environmental quality in these states and the surrounded area. In East Africa, bird densities increased months after controlled burning had occurred. Controlled burns on Australian savannas can result in

1680-497: The created of a prescribed burn program as well as training and regulation for controlled burns in Ontario. In British Columbia , there was an increase in the intensity and scale of wildfires after local bylaws restricted the use of controlled burns. In 2017, following one of the worst years for wildfire in the province's history, indigenous leadership and public service members wrote an independent report that suggested returning to

1740-529: The dry season results in a mosaic of burnt and unburnt country which reduces the area of stronger, late dry season fires; it is also known as "patch burning". Health and safety, protecting personnel, preventing the fire from escaping and reducing the impact of smoke are the most important considerations when planning a controlled burn. While the most common driver of fuel treatment is the prevention of loss of human life and structures, certain parameters can also be changed to promote biodiversity and to rearrange

1800-436: The fall of 1984. The opening credits scene was shot south of Stanley in front of the Sawtooth Mountains . The SNRA is one of the settings of Lionsgate 's 2010 3-D computer-animated film Alpha and Omega . The mountain goat is a universal symbol signifying the human need to find high, quiet places. In Idaho, the mountain goat license plate symbolizes the importance of protecting the high quiet places like those found in

1860-638: The fault around 7,000 and 4,000 years b.p . The Sawtooth Mountains are in the SNRA, along with the White Cloud , Boulder , and Smoky mountains. The highest point in the SNRA is Castle Peak at 11,815 ft (3,601 m) in the White Cloud Mountains, while the second-highest point is Ryan Peak at 11,714 ft (3,570 m) in the Boulder Mountains. Thompson Peak , at an elevation of 10,751 ft (3,277 m),

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1920-490: The fire has cleared non fire-adapted, competing species. Pyriscent species benefit from moderate-intensity fires in older stands; however, climate change is causing more frequent high intensity fires in North America. Controlled burns can manage the fire cycle and the intensity of regenerate fires in forests with pyriscent species like the boreal forest in Canada. Eucalyptus regnans or mountain ash of Australia also shows

1980-593: The goal of suppressing all fires. Since 1995, the US Forest Service has slowly incorporated burning practices into its forest management policies. Fire suppression has changed the composition and ecology of North American habitats, including highly fire-dependent ecosystems such as oak savannas and canebrakes, which are now critically endangered habitats on the brink of extinction. In the Eastern United States, fire-sensitive trees such as

2040-547: The heart of the SNRA, the Redfish Visitor Center and Gallery is the oldest National Forest visitor center in the contiguous US. Built in the early 1960s and operated for many years by the USFS. In 2011 SIHA began working in partnership with the USFS to manage the Redfish Visitor Center and Gallery. Educational programs are provided through the summer to visitors of all ages by SIHA naturalists. The Sawtooth Society

2100-412: The impact of variation in fire attributes. Parameters measured are fire frequency, intensity, severity, patchiness, spatial scale and phenology. Furthermore, controlled fire can be used for site preparation when mechanized treatments are not possible because of terrain that prevents equipment access. Species variation and competition can drastically increase a few years after fuel treatments because of

2160-412: The increase in soil nutrients and availability of space and sunlight. Many trees depend on fire as a way to clear out other plant species and release their seeds. The giant sequoia , among other fire-adapted conifer species, depends on fire to reproduce. The cones are pyriscent so they will only open after exposed to a certain temperature. This reduces competition for the giant sequoia seedlings because

2220-475: The increasing prevalence of climate change. As drought conditions worsen, North America has been facing an abundance of destructive wildfires. Since 1988, many states have made progress toward controlled burns. In 2021, California increased the number of trained personnel to perform controlled burns and created more accessibility for landowners. In the European Union, burning crop stubble after harvest

2280-516: The indigenous practice of prescribed fire. This was done against scientific evidence that supported prescribed burns as a natural process. At the loss to the local environment, colonies utilized fire suppression in order to benefit the logging industry. The notion of fire as a tool had somewhat evolved by the late 1970s as the National Park Service authorized and administered controlled burns. Following prescribed fire reintroduction,

2340-432: The intensity of the fire or prevent the fire from crossing the area entirely. A controlled burn prior to the wildfire season can protect infrastructure and communities or mitigate risks associated with many dead standing trees such as after a pest infestation when forest fuels are high. In the developing world, the use of controlled burns in agriculture is often referred to as slash and burn . In industrialized nations, it

2400-415: The land and a new, like-aged eucalyptus forest grows. Other tree species like poplar can easily regenerate after a fire into a like-aged stand from a vast root system that is protected from fires because it is underground. Native grassland species in North America and Australia are adapted to survive occasional low intensity fires. Controlled burns in prairie ecosystems mimic low intensity fires that shift

2460-518: The largest carbon sinks in the UK, providing an immensely important ecological service. The governments has restricted burning to the area but hunters have been continuing to set the moors ablaze, releasing a large amount of carbon into the atmosphere and destroying native habitat. The Maasai ethnic group conduct traditional burning in savanna ecosystems before the rainy season to provide varied grazing land for livestock and to prevent larger fires when

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2520-585: The local residents through the Sawtooth Valley Wildfire Collaborative. Much of the SNRA was heavily glaciated, especially in the Sawtooth Mountains where remnants of these glaciers exist as glacial lakes , moraines , hanging valleys , cirques , and arêtes . The Sawtooth Fault stretches 40 mi (64 km) long, and runs through the Sawtooth Valley , while the two past large earthquakes likely took place on

2580-448: The loss of human life with leniency toward areas of historic, scientific, or special ecological interest. There is still a debate amongst policy makers about how to deal with wildfires. Senators Ron Wyden and Mike Crapo of Oregon and Idaho have been moving to reduce the shifting of capital from fire prevention to fire suppression following the harsh fires of 2017 in both states. Tensions around fire prevention continue to rise due to

2640-423: The management indicator species for the SNRA and population monitoring efforts are undertaken every year. A 2003 memoir by John Rember, Traplines: Coming Home to the Sawtooth Valley , describes the life and culture of Stanley, Idaho before and after establishment of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Clint Eastwood 's 1985 film Pale Rider was filmed in the SNRA, mostly in the Boulder Mountains in

2700-425: The mop up has finished, the Burn Boss declares the controlled burn over and local fire authorities are notified. There are several different methods used to burn piles of slash from forestry operations. Broadcast burning is the burning of scattered slash over a wide area. Pile burning is gathering up the slash into piles before burning. These burning piles may be referred to as bonfires . High temperatures can harm

2760-481: The prescribed burn is divided into several roles; the Burn Boss, Communications, Suppression and Ignition. The planning process begins by submitting an application to a local fire management office and after approval, applicants must submit a burn plan several weeks prior to ignition. On the day of the controlled burn, personnel meet with the Burn Boss and discuss the tactics being used for ignition and suppression, health and safety precautions, fuel moisture levels and

2820-749: The present to design, build and fund the Stanley to Redfish Lake trail. The Society also coordinated nearly $ 1 Million in Goat License Plate grants for 220 enhancement projects to benefit the SNRA and all who live, work and recreate in it. Facilitating Stewardship and Volunteer Projects Since 2014 the Sawtooth Society facilitated and coordinated projects including 13,400 hours of labor which resulted in clearing more than 4,980 trees from 612 miles of trails and providing stewardship education opportunities to more than 400 youth. Prescribed Fire A controlled or prescribed (Rx) burn

2880-824: The public to address threats facing the SNRA; joined with the Forest Service to initiate Sawtooth Vision 20/20, and helped develop management plans for SNRA Wilderness Areas. Preserving Open Space The Sawtooth Society has worked with the Administration and Congress to secure $ 17 million in federal funds for the purchase of conservation easements in the SNRA; published "What Works" a document to clarify and distribute private land regulations to encourage inconspicuous development; educated private landowners about their responsibility in making development less conspicuous. Enhancing Recreation Facilities and Services The Sawtooth Society supported USFS efforts from 2005 through

2940-581: The red maple are increasing in number, at the expense of fire-tolerant species like oaks. In the Anishinaabeg Nation around the Great Lakes , fire is a living being that has the power to change landscapes through both destruction and the regrowth and return of life following a fire. Human beings are also inexorably tied to the land they live on as stewards who maintain the ecosystems around them. Because fire can reveal dormant seedlings, it

3000-738: The species assemblage to primarily native grassland species. Some seeds , such as those of lodgepole pine , sequoia and many chaparral shrubs are pyriscent , meaning heat from fire causes the cone or woody husk to open and disperse seeds. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and has been used by indigenous people across the world for millennia to promote biodiversity and cultivate wild crops. Colonial law in North America and Australia displaced indigenous people from lands that were controlled with fire and prohibited from conducting traditional controlled burns. After wildfires began increasing in scale and intensity in

3060-493: The speed of a back burn is to use a flank fire which is lit at right angles to the prevailing wind and spreads in the same direction. In Ontario, Canada, controlled burns are regulated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and only trained personnel can plan and ignite controlled burns within Ontario's fire regions or if the Ministry of Natural Resources in involved in any aspect of planning a controlled burn. The team performing

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3120-461: The traditional use of prescribed burns to manage understory fuel from wildfires. The government of British Columbia responded by committing to using controlled burns as a wildfire management tool. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality began requiring a permit for farmers to burn their fields in 1981, but the requirements became stricter in 1988 following a multi-car collision in which smoke from field burning near Albany, Oregon , obscured

3180-588: The valley's borders reach 11,815 feet (3,601 m) at Castle Peak in the White Cloud Mountains to the east and 10,715 feet (3,266 m) at Thompson Peak in the Sawtooth Mountains to the west. In 2017, the Sawtooth Valley was designated part of the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve . [REDACTED] Idaho portal [REDACTED] Media related to Sawtooth Valley at Wikimedia Commons Sawtooth National Recreation Area The Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA)

3240-492: The vision of drivers on Interstate 5 , leading to a 23-car collision in which 7 people died and 37 were injured. This resulted in more scrutiny of field burning and proposals to ban field burning in the state altogether. With controlled burns, there is also a risk that the fires get out of control. For example, the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire , the largest wildfire in the history of New Mexico ,

3300-420: The weather (wind direction, wind speed, temperature and precipitation) for the day. On site, local fire control authorities are notified by telephone about the controlled burn while the rest of the team members fill drip torches with pre-mixed fuel, fill suppression packs with water and put up barricades and signage to prevent pedestrian access to the controlled burn. Driptorches are canisters filled with fuel and

3360-436: The wind speed and wind direction so the Burn Boss can determine how the direction of both flames and smoke and plan their lines of fire accordingly. Once the ignition phase has ended in a section, the suppression team "mops up" by using suppression packs to suppress smoldering material. Other tools used for suppression are RTVs equipped with a water tank and a pump and hose that is installed in a nearby body of water. Finally, once

3420-523: Was founded in 1972, the same year that the SNRA was created. The mission of SIHA is to protect and advance the natural and cultural history of Idaho's Sawtooth – Salmon River Country through preservation and education. SIHA has managed the Stanley Museum since the early 1980s. The Stanley Museum was the original Valley Creek Ranger Station. Today visitors can explore exhibits within the museum and learn about local history. Located on Redfish Lake in

3480-737: Was founded in 1997 by a group of dedicated supporters of the Sawtooth National Recreational Area. At the time of the Sawtooth Society's founding, a major threat had arisen in the Stanley Basin: a highly visible and unapproved 160-acre subdivision. The Society negotiated an end to the project and successfully urged Congress to appropriate $ 17 million to the U.S. Forest Service for the purchase of conservation easements protecting this land in perpetuity. The Sawtooth Society has long been dedicated to these four outcomes: Advocacy The Society mobilized policy-makers and

3540-480: Was spearheaded by Edmund Zavitz in Ontario, caused a ban on all fires, both natural wild fires and intentional fires. In the 1970s, Parks Canada began implementing small prescribed burns however, the scale of wildfires each year outpaces the acreage of land that is intentionally burnt. In the late 1980s, the Ministry of Natural Resources in Ontario began conducting prescribed burns on forested land which led to

3600-604: Was started by two distinct instances of controlled burns, which had both been set by the US Forest Service , getting out of control and merging. The conflict of controlled burn policy in the United States has roots in historical campaigns to combat wildfires and to the eventual acceptance of fire as a necessary ecological phenomenon. Following colonization of North America, the US used fire suppression laws to eradicate

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