BNF ups logging to reduce risk of possible fires

CASPER (WNE) — The Bighorn National Forest is a treasured destination for summer travelers who come to experience the bountiful groves of lodgepole pines, towering peaks along with numerous rivers and streams revered by trout fishing enthusiasts.
Visitors this summer can expect that serenity to be occasionally interrupted by the sound of tree cutters and logging trucks.
The forest service has ramped up a campaign to harvest timber and reduce hazardous fuel loads in the face of growing wildfire risk.
It is part of the Tie Flume Project, a comprehensive management plan designed to bolster resilience in one of the forest’s most popular areas, where views of Black Mountain and the Twin Buttes as well as accessible stretches along the Tongue River have become an international draw.
Forest managers say the Tie Plume initiative is designed to to minimize risk by mimicking natural forest fire dynamics.