FAIRPLAY, COLO. -- The Pike National Forest-South Park District is preparing for 500 acres of prescribed burning in Park County in late April or early May. The multi-stage projects are in the Blue Mountain and Wagon Tongue Gulch areas, southwest of Lake George, south of Elevenmile Canyon, and east of Elevenmile Reservoir.
Dates for the burning are uncertain because ignition will take place when weather and fuel conditions are such that the fire will be of low to moderate intensity and there are minimal smoke impacts to surrounding communities.
If burning does take place, it may last from one to several days with smoke visible from Highway 24 and other areas during actual burning days. Smoke will linger in the air for several days after ignition is completed.
Vegetation types are predominantly ponderosa pine, grass and shrubs. Most of the timber has been thinned and the slash piles from these treatments have been burned during the winter. Surface burning of the area is the final step in the process and is designed to reduce the amount of timber needles, duff and small diameter woody debris.
In addition, prescribed burning will improve soil nutrients and resprout grass and shrubs for wildlife.
The three prescribed burn areas are part of the Sledgehammer Ecosystem Management Project, a multi-year undertaking with the goal of restoring open conifer stands, increasing the amount of grass, shrubs and aspen, and reducing dead fuel loading on the forest floor.
Multi-stage fuels treatments like this are one of the most viable ways of restoring ecosystem health and reducing the wildfire threat to land and home owners.
Information provided by Pike and San Isabel National Forests office, Pueblo, Colo. Phone 719-553-1415.
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