Cooler weather and snow in the mountains has prompted fire crews to begin preparations for slash pile burning at multiple locations across the Medicine Bow and Routt National Forests (MBRNF)in Colorado and Wyoming.
Hundreds of piles are estimated to remain on the two National Forests, even after multiple years of this type of work. Forest users and the public should be aware of and expect to see smoke, as many piles will be burned near communities, travel routes, and popular recreation areas. The burning of highly visible piles will be advertised closer to the date of ignition and questions should be directed to your local Ranger District Office.
“Our crews are well trained in this type of work and pile burning is now a staple in our annual program of work,” said Vern Bentley, Fire Management Officer for the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland. “In the foreseeable future, we are going to continue removing fuels by burning piles.”
Over the last few years, the two Forests have completed many forest management projects, including removing dead trees from travel corridors and recreation areas, as well as reducing hazardous fuels generated from the bark beetle epidemic. Fuels remaining in these areas have been gathered into piles, either mechanically or by hand. The main objective of the pile burns is to reduce the remaining dead fuels, which is in the best interest of long-term public safety.
Recent periods of wet, cool weather have prompted crews to begin preparations for burning piles. While conditions in some locations are currently favorable, fire managers will continue to monitor weather forecasts prior to igniting piles. Burns are only initiated if conditions are within established parameters for safe, effective fires. Predicted weather needs to allow for safe burning and the elimination of any threat of fire spreading to surrounding vegetation. Pile burning will continue all fall and winter, as long as weather permits.
Each prescribed burn planned by the Forests has gone through an environmental analysis and has a detailed burn plan developed in advance.
Signs are often placed on adjacent roads notifying the public of the prescribed fires, and closures are rarely necessary.
Smoke from all prescribed fires is closely monitored to ensure that the conditions for smoke dispersal, developed in collaboration with the Colorado Air Pollution/Control Division and Wyoming Air Quality Division, are being met. These conditions reduce the likelihood of undesired smoke impacts.
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information contact the MBRNF Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District at 307-326-5258.
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