ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP — Forestry officials announced last week they are planning to conduct prescribed burning operations in the Athens and Ironton ranger districts this month.

Firefighters will base most of their decision to burn on current and forecasted weather conditions, such as wind speed and direction, relative humidity, and temperatures, forestry officials said in a prepared statement. If conditions are not favorable on any given day for prescribed burning, firefighters will plan to burn at a later date.

The Buckhorn prescribed burn will affect approximately 329 acres located within the Historic Forest management area in Decatur and Symmes Townships. The area is located approximately 9 miles south of Oak Hill and 2 miles east of State Route 93. This action is meant to promote the restoration of the oak-hickory forest.

The prescribed burn will help create a more open upland forest dominated by large widely spaced trees with increased biological diversity and value to wildlife.

An additional benefit is reduction of heavy fuel loads that could lead to control problems in the event of wildfire occurrence in the area.

The Pine Creek prescribed burn will affect approximately

1,367 acres located within the Historic Forest management area with off-highway vehicle use In Decatur Township as well as Bloom and Vernon townships in Scioto County. The area is located approximately five miles southeast of South Webster and five miles north of Lawco Lake.  Forestry officials said the purpose for this burn is to restore the oak-hickory ecosystem through the combination of mostly uneven-aged timber harvest and frequent prescribed fire.  

The long-term goal for burning this area is to create an open forest dominated by large, widely spaced mast-producing trees such as oak and hickory.

This type of forest will provide a broad range of biodiversity of both vegetation and wildlife.  Additionally, burning will help reduce heavy fuel loads that could cause problems in controlling wildfires when they occur.

The burns were to have begun Saturday.