UINTA-WASATCH-CACHE NATIONAL FOREST, Utah-Tuesday, the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest confirmed it will be conducting a prescribed burn on Heber-Kamas Ranger District land.

Forest officials will conduct the burn on unit 4, which totals approximately 30 acres of the Ponderosa Restoration Project sometime between April 18 and May 16.

This is roughly 10 miles east of Kamas.

The project area is located on the north side of the Mirror Lake Highway (SR 150) between the Lower Provo outlook (milepost 12) and the Soapstone Basin turnoff (milepost 14).

The forest states the purpose for the prescribed burn is to preserve the genetic diversity of ponderosa pine by reducing the thick understory of juniper, mountain brush and lodgepole pine.

They also hope to reduce wildfire risk along the highway corridor, improve watershed conditions and restore wildlife habitat while improving the scenic quality of the area.

Smoke may temporarily impact visibility on the Mirror Lake Highway and may possibly drift toward populated areas, such as Heber City.

Firefighters will only be using handheld drip torches to treat the area while patrolling and monitoring the burn.

The prescribed fire area will be closed to all uses for public safety on the day of the burn and possibly the day after.