BOULDER, Colo. (Dec. 5, 2022) – Firefighters plan to burn slash piles from multiple fuels reduction and hazardous tree removal projects on the Boulder Ranger District starting tomorrow and continuing throughout the week as conditions allow. Burning of these piles could take place throughout the upcoming snowy, winter months.
Piles are only ignited under certain conditions, including favorable smoke dispersal and adequate snow cover. These conditions direct firefighters on where within project areas burning can occur due to the localized nature of conditions. Smoke, flames, and glowing embers are often visible, and are a normal part of pile burning operations. This can be visible throughout the night. Moisture, namely snow, helps contain the piles and firefighters monitor the area during and after the burn. Monitoring continues until the piles are considered out. Public and firefighter safety is always the number one priority in burning operations.
Areas that could be burned over the following week as conditions allow include:
- James Creek Unit M1701: 8,000 hand piles General Location: East of Hwy 72 near Peaceful Valley
- Lump Gulch 18: 250 hand piles General Location: Gilpin County a half-mile north of Rollinsville on west of Hwy 119 Peak to Peak
- Lump Gulch 29, 30: 150 hand piles General Location: Gilpin County west of Lump Gulch Road, 1.5 miles south of Rollinsville on west side of Hwy 119
Typically crews are permitted to burn as many as 250 to 1,000 smaller hand piles a day at each location if conditions are met, which includes a minimum of three inches of snow cover, and one to 40 larger machine piles could be burned a day with a minimum of six inches of snow.
If you would like to receive regular updates about burning in your area and are not already on our email list, please contact Chris Green at Christopher.green2@usda.gov to get added to the district’s email contact list and information for all pile burning this winter is posted online at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/coarf-arapaho-roosevelt-national-forests-pile-burning. Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
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