Rehabilitation efforts are underway this fall on the East Fork Fire burn scar thanks to the work of multiple agencies. According to the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, the East Fork Fire reached areas of deer and elk winter range and destroyed habitat that these species rely on during the winter months. As a result, it is crucial that officials focus on reseeding to provide forage for wildlife and livestock. In fact, during the Fall of 2021, the DWR, in partnership with the Ashley National Forest and the Ute Indian Tribe, seeded approximately 9,000 acres of lower elevation wintering areas that were susceptible to cheatgrass invasion. Additional seeding is also in the plans to promote recovery even further. And in case you were curious: the seed is applied using a fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter. Seeding is also hoped to reduce sediment from running into Rock Creek which would severely impact the river and Stillwater ponds.
