BLM to burn slash piles in south Steptoe Valley

Weather permitting, the Bureau of Land Management Ely District on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024 will begin burning slash piles of pinyon pine and juniper on public lands in south Steptoe Valley, approximately 25-30 miles south of Ely. The targeted areas are Cattle and Horse camps and Basque and Monument canyons.

BLM Fire Ecologist Jacob Keogh said the piles are remnants of tree-thinning treatments that reduced pinyon-juniper expansion within the Steptoe Valley watershed. “The treatments were part of a multi-year restoration initiative designed to improve watershed health and enhance wildlife habitat, and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires,” Keogh said.

The BLM will burn slash piles on 402 acres near Cattle Camp, 270 acres near Horse Camp, 60 acres north of Basque Canyon and 506 acres in Monument Canyon. Local residents may occasionally see smoke during the operations.