SALT LAKE CITY — Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge’s Auto Tour Route was closed on Sept. 15 while officials conducted a prescribed burn.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources said the blaze, which was ignited in the wetlands around 12 p.m., was planned to support efforts to control invasive phragmites in the area.
“This prescribed burn is part of ongoing fire management efforts to improve ecosystem health and reduce wildfire risk around the Great Salt Lake,” wrote DNR Public Affairs Officer Karl Hunt in a press release.
Phragmites have deep roots, which can reach water and thrive during droughts. When they outcompete native plants, their impacts can ripple across the ecosystem…