Times Observer photo by Delaney Chase U.S. Forest Service officials are pictured discussing at a fire media briefing held at Allegheny National Forest Supervisor’s Office this week.

Officials with the Allegheny National Forest outlined plans Monday for a large prescribed burn in the Tracy Ridge area.

The controlled burn will cover approximately 2,044 acres on the southern portion of Tracy Ridge. According to forest officials, operations could begin as early as April 1 and continue through May 15, depending on weather conditions.

The project, which has been in planning since 2019, is designed to reduce hazardous fuel levels and improve wildlife habitat. Officials say the burns also help limit the severity of future wildfires.

“This allows us to burn on our own terms,” said Craig Kostrzewski of the Forest Service during a media briefing. “If another burn were to occur, it would be less intense.”

Crews will wait for a combination of temperature and wind conditions before igniting the fire. About 40 personnel will be involved, along with additional support crews on standby. The goal is to complete the burn in a single day, followed by several days of monitoring.

The Forest Service plans to use a helicopter equipped with a Plastic Sphere Dispenser to ignite portions of the burn in hard-to-reach terrain. Officials say the aerial method improves efficiency and safety while allowing better control of fire spread.

Fire lines will rely heavily on natural features such as terrain and waterways, and crews will survey the area in advance to identify invasive species and other concerns.

During operations, most of the Tracy Ridge area will be closed to the public, including the Tracy Ridge Trail System, parts of the North Country National Scenic Trail and Handsome Lake and Hopewell boat-to campgrounds. Officials warn that smoke may be visible in surrounding communities.

Prescribed fires are a common land management tool used by the U.S. Forest Service, with thousands conducted nationwide each year.

The last prescribed burn in the Allegheny National Forest took place in 2024, but this year’s effort is expected to be significantly larger in scale.

Updates on the Tracy Ridge prescribed fire will be made available through the federal incident information system, InciWeb, as conditions allow.