High Park Fire burn area aerial mulching on hiatus

Aerial mulching in the High Park Fire burn area on National Forest System lands has been completed for this fall.

Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) implementation on National Forest System lands within the High Park Fire burn area has been taking place throughout the late summer and fall. Work to date includes erosion control and hazard tree removal along trails and roads. Places treated with aerial mulching this fall included high priority areas of high and moderate soil burn severity on slopes between 20 percent and 60 percent. Mulching this fall took place on 881 acres with approximately 5,286 tons of wood shreds and was applied over 30 days.

Additional mulching on nearly 5,000 acres with straw is expected in to take place late spring or early summer. Mulching helps stabilize burned hills and reduce erosion in these areas. No treatment will take place in the Cache la Poudre Wilderness.

Other proposed work will continue as conditions allow, including noxious weed monitoring and treatment, additional erosion control and hazardous tree removal along roads and trails, trail stabilization, protection of archeological sites, and road stabilization.

Volunteers were crucial this summer and fall in getting the Hewlett Gulch, Greyrock and Kruetzer/Mt. McConnel Trails open to the public. The Forest Service appreciates all their hard work and dedication.

The closure order for the High Park Fire burn area is still in place, due to both rehabilitation efforts and general safety concerns. The closure area prohibits all activities on a portion of the Canyon Lakes Ranger District in two areas. The first area includes National Forest System (NFS) lands south of Highway 14 and east of the Cache la Poudre Wilderness. The second area includes a smaller portion of the original closure south of Highway 14 down to CR 44H to the east of Pingree Park Road just past the Monument Gulch Road. Portions of the Cache la Poudre Wilderness are now open.