Prescribed fire scheduled for 2024 at Blue Job State Forest

The N.H. Forest Protection Bureau has announced that it is planning to implement a prescribed burn at Blue Job State Forest in Farmington this year. Depending on weather conditions, the burn may take place any time from April through October.

Approximately 20 acres will be burned by trained resource managers and wildfire personnel. In addition to improving blueberry habitat – which will, in turn, improve conditions for birds and other wildlife that rely on blueberries for food and shelter – the prescribed burn will also reduce forest fuels like shrubs and grasses that could contribute to a wildfire. It will also improve scenic vistas for hiking and other recreation.

“We hope to implement the prescribed burn at Blue Job this spring, but the actual date will depend on the many weather factors that are monitored daily, including temperature, wind speed and relative humidity,” said Chief Steve Sherman of the N.H. Forest Protection Bureau. “Once conditions are right, we’ll post that the event is ‘a go’ on the Division of Forests and Lands' website as well as on social media.”

Prescribed burns have taken place at Blue Job’s blueberry barrens for decades, with the most recent one happening in 2018. A prescribed burn scheduled in 2023 did not take place because weather conditions were too dry and windy during the planned timeframe.

Anyone wishing to monitor the date of the prescribed burn at Blue Job State Forest is encouraged to check the division’s website, nhdfl.dncr.nh.gov as well as the division’s and Forest Protection Bureau’s X social media accounts, @nhdfl and @NHForestRangers.

The N.H. Forest Protection Bureau is part of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Division of Forests and Lands, which protects and promotes the value provided by trees, forests and natural communities. For more information about the Division of Forests and Lands and the work of its Forest Protection Bureau, visit nhdfl.dncr.nh.gov or call 603-271-2214.

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