We wanted to share an update on where things stand with Phase 3 of the 'Inimim Forest Restoration Project as we head into spring.
What We've Accomplished
To date, the project has treated a total of 292.8 acres:
- 13.1 acres of mastication
- 7.2 acres of hand cut and pile
- 16.5 acres of hand thin, haul, and chip
- 256 acres of commercial timber harvest with follow-up mastication and slash pile burning
The timber harvest resulted in about 750,000 board feet of timber delivered to Sierra Pacific Industries sawmills. The results on the forest are impossible to miss — more open sight lines, more light reaching the forest floor, and a more resilient landscape should a fire come through.
The Pile Burn
The big news from this spring was the burning of the large slash piles left from the timber harvest, which took place March 31 – April 9. A crew from BLM and Terra Fuego Resource Foundation put fire on roughly 250 acres of machine piles over two days of active burning, reducing at least 85% of the biomass that had accumulated from Phase 3 thinning. Mop-up and patrol continued through April 9, when the burn was declared out.
A week after the burn, four piles were identified as not having burned as thoroughly as planned, due to large-diameter material that resists full consumption in a single burn. Terra Fuego plans to return in fall 2026 to consolidate and re-burn those piles.
For photos, crew quotes, and the full story from the pile burn, see our earlier news article.
What's Still Ahead
We have approximately 11 acres of hand thinning remaining on the Long View BLM parcel off Back Bone Road, scheduled for this coming fall. That work will be followed by Scotch broom removal and control throughout the project area. The grant is on track to wrap up by Spring 2027.
Firewood Available for Neighbors
The thinning work left a significant amount of oak logs piled along the project's roadways — material that's available for neighbors to harvest as firewood. Permits are $12 per cord and can be obtained online from the BLM at forestproducts.blm.gov.
As always, be safe when bucking oak logs in these piles. Piles can shift underfoot as weight is removed through cutting. Always establish a stable stance on firm ground before cutting, keep your feet out of the fall line, and have a clear step-back path before the saw touches wood.
Thank you, as always, for your patience and support. This work is only possible with neighbors who understand and welcome it.