Canyon Lakes announces winter pile burning plans

The Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland plans to take advantage of changing weather conditions late fall and winter to burn slash piles left from multiple fuels reductions and hazardous tree removal projects.

These piles are only ignited under certain conditions, with consideration being given to weather, fuel moisture, smoke dispersal and staffing. The areas are monitored after burning is completed.

Firefighters will spend the upcoming months burning piles in a number of locations. When and where burning occurs depends on the conditions listed above. Public and firefighter safety is always the number one priority in burning operations.

Last year, nearly 22,000 slash piles were burned on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District. There are approximately 21,000 combined hand and machine piles still remaining across the district. Crews may 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. Some areas of the district also have larger machine piles. Typically, one to 40 of these could be burned at each location a day with a minimum of six inches of snow cover.

Areas on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District with hand piles ready for burning are:
· Estes Valley 5 (Johnny Park Road and Big Elk Meadows Subdivision area)
· Bellaire Campground (southwest of Red Feather Lakes)
· Thompson River 2 (Pole Hill Road and Highway 36 area near Estes Park)
· Red Feather 1 (near Manhattan and Red Feather Lakes Roads)
· Red Feather 2 (northwest of Red Feather Lakes, Lost Lake area)
· Stub Creek Work Center (north Laramie River Valley area)
· Stringtown Gulch (adjacent to Latman Lake off the Buckhorn Road)
Areas with machine piles ready for burning are:
· Trout Creek (north and south of Pearl Beaver Road (FSR 315))
· McGrevey (FSR 314, north of CR 80C, adjacent to Aspen Springs subdivision)
· Red Feather 1 (near Manhattan and Red Feather Lakes Roads)
· Red Feather 2 (northwest of Red Feather Lakes, Lost Lake area)
· Stub Creek Work Center (north Laramie River Valley area)
· Pescado (south of Mountain Home, Wyo. on FSR 200)

If you would like to receive regular updates about burning in your area, please contact Reghan Cloudman at 970-295-6770 or rcloudman@fs.fed.us to get added to the district’s email contact list.