WILLISTON, N.D. ( KXNET ) — On Tuesday, the Williston Fire Department (WFD) deployed four firefighters from its Wildland Response Team to assist the North Dakota Forest Service (NDFS) near Bowman, ND.

In the Slope County portion of the Little Missouri Grasslands, there are many stands of Ponderosa Pines, once designated as a National Forest. In 2004, a wildfire named the “Deep Creek Fire” burned thousands of acres of Ponderosa Pines.

Since then, the US Forest Service and the NDFS have been working diligently to restore the area and protect it. WFD Firefighters will assist in the controlled burning of natural debris collected from pine-thinning operations in the Little Missouri Grasslands.

Approximately 1,400 piles will be burned on private and federal land. WFD’s Assistant Chief of Operations, Corey Johnson, noted that smoke may be visible for long distances in the Slope County area.

“Our crews went directly to work when they arrived and they will be working through all daylight hours through Friday,” Johnson explained in an email, “so smoke will be visible during the day each day until Friday night.”

These operations are conducted to improve the health and resilience of the pines and reduce available fuel loads should another fire occur.

WFD Firefighters will assist the NDFS with controlled burns of brush piles in the Little Missouri Grasslands. They are expected to return Friday evening.

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