WDFW plans controlled burns on Thurston County wildlife areas

By The Chronicle staff • June 21, 2025 1:30 am
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Grant Callegar i/ Hakai Magazine Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies were once common in prairie-oak ecosystems ranging including prairies in southwest Thurston County near Rochester. Today they have lost almost 97% of their habitat, and there are only 13 known wild populations.
Grant Callegar i/ Hakai Magazine Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies were once common in prairie-oak ecosystems ranging including prairies in southwest Thurston County near Rochester. Today they have lost almost 97% of their habitat, and there are only 13 known wild populations.

The Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will conduct prescribed burns to restore prairie habitat on three wildlife area units in Thurston County this summer, beginning as early as July 1, according to a news release from the department.

The burns are scheduled for the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area unit northeast of Rochester, the West Rocky Prairie Wildlife Area unit northwest of Tenino and the Violet Prairie unit west of Tenino.

WDFW will conduct burn operations for up to seven days through mid-October. Burn operations will target small areas from 7 to 20 acres totaling up to 75 acres on Scatter Creek, 30 acres on West Rocky Prairie and 16 acres on Violet Prairie.

Prescribed burns are closely monitored and managed, and conducted only on days when weather and wind conditions allow for safe burning.

“To help steward rare prairie habitats and ensure public safety, access to portions of the wildlife areas may be restricted during the burns,” Bill Kronland, Scatter Creek Wildlife Area manager, said. “Signs will be posted to alert the public of active burn operations, and we will be working to minimize smoke impacts to the surrounding community. People may see smoke from the fires for one to two hours after operations have stopped.”

WDFW works cooperatively with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, fire districts and other partners while using professional fire crews that are experienced in conducting prescribed burns on public and private lands in south Puget Sound.

Kronland said the Department uses prescribed fire in these areas to maintain native grassland habitats and control invasive weeds before seeding and planting native species.

Puget lowland prairies are one of the rarest ecosystems in Washington and have been reduced to less than 3% of their former area, the release stated. They support several rare plants and animals including birds, mammals and butterflies, some of which are listed as threatened or endangered. The Scatter Creek Wildlife Area is part of an integrated system of conservation lands managed to conserve and restore this rare ecosystem.

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