News Briefs

 

Last updated 10/18/2018 at 5:32pm



Turnbull NWR announces prescribed burns schedule

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be conducting prescribed burns on the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge near Cheney. According to an Oct. 12 news release, the burns will take place from mid-October through November, weather permitting.

Prescribed burning is done to accomplish refuge management objectives for improving wildlife habitat, reducing hazardous accumulation of vegetation and forest debris and decreasing the number of unhealthy and overstocked stands of ponderosa pine seedlings and saplings. Prescribed burning activities should have little to no impact on access to the majority of refuge public use areas.

Prescribed fire operations will be implemented in accordance with the state of Washington’s Smoke Management Plan. Burning will only occur when weather conditions and smoke dispersion are favorable. Disruptions to traffic are possible due to smoke and to provide firefighter and public safety, but are expected to be minimal.


West Plains SCOPE award winners

The Spokane County Sheriff Office has released its list of Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE) Volunteer of the Year award winners. According to an Oct. 11 news release, award winners from the three West Plains area SCOPE stations are Claudia Lowman, Gregory Guldner and Jeannie Payton.

Lowman has been a volunteer with EWU/Cheney SCOPE for 13 years, during which she has held every position — several times over. Besides regular SCOPE meetings and helping at local events, she has also been very active in area schools with the Operation Family I.D. program.


Staff Sgt. Guldner serves with the Fairchild Air Force Base SCOPE Office and is a member of the 92nd Security Forces Squadron (Police Services). In addition to his tremendous workload as an active duty member, he also volunteered several hours for National Night Out, Police Ribbon Week, DARE, McGruff and Scruffy, Eddie Eagle, Citizens-on-Patrol, Pumpkin Patrol and many other SCOPE related community events.

Payton has been in SCOPE since 2012 and currently is the Medical Lake office’s vice-president and secretary. She drives the SCOPE car on Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.) and Radar Patrol.

County lifts burn ban restrictions

The Spokane County Building and Planning Department announced that the burn-ban restrictions implemented July 16 have been lifted, effective Oct. 12.

In a news release, the county stated that recreational fires, including campfires, are now allowed to resume throughout all unincorporated areas, cities of Spokane and Spokane Valley. Citizens may also use backyard barbecues, chimineas, portable outdoor fireplaces, fire pits or other patio/deck warmers if approved fuel is used and other requirements satisfied.

Burning may be temporarily restricted by the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency due to increasing fire particulate (smoke) levels and air stagnation. Department of Natural Resources lands may have additional burn restrictions in place and should be consulted prior to burning activities.

 

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