Laramie Ranger District

The U.S. Forest Service is looking for volunteers to help in rehabilitating an old section of the Headquarters Trail on the Pole Mountain unit of the Medicine Bow National Forest.

The Laramie Ranger District fire crews will soon be conducting prescribed burns in the northern portion of the Pole Mountain unit.

Seasonal road closures are scheduled to take effect this Thursday, Feb. 1 on Pole Mountain in order to preserve road conditions and protect resources in the Medicine Bow National Forest.

The Laramie Ranger District is planning a prescribed burn for the west side of Bald Mountain in the Snowy Range, near Centennial, in order to improve rangeland conditions for big-game winter habitat.

The burns originally planned for this week are part of the ongoing ten-year Pole Mountain Vegetation Project on the Medicine Bow National Forest in eastern Albany County. The forest service uses the burns to mimic historically natural fire disturbances in order to reduce hazardous fuels buildup and improve habitat for native wildlife.

With the awarding of the grant, maintenance of the National Forest System trails on Pole Mountain will be taking place this summer, according to a Wyoming Pathways news release.

Prescribed burning can mimic natural fires, reducing hazardous fuels buildup and improving habitat for wildlife.

“We distribute information about our projects in a broad and timely fashion, but can’t always control the various outlets through which people receive their news," said Romero.