MONTE VISTA — The Bureau of Land Management is preparing to conduct pile burns in two locations this winter, with exact dates to be determined by weather and fuel moisture conditions. Pile burns are conducted each winter to remove dead wood and other flammable materials from forested areas. This process is critical to maintaining the health of the forest ecosystem and to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
The piles planned for burning are located at:
Pile burns could occur as early as December 2023 and may continue through April 2024. Smoke from the pile burns will be visible throughout the day of a burn, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas. Notifications of confirmed burns will be published on the BLM Colorado Fire facebook and twitter accounts, which can be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/BLMColoradoFire
https://twitter.com/BLMColoradoFire
According to the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, “Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information see www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.”
For additional information concerning the pile burns, contact Scott Nilson, Fire Management Specialist, BLM Rocky Mountain District Fire and Aviation Management, at 719-852-8150.