The Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Roosevelt National Forest plans to conduct the Pingree Hill Prescribed Burn as soon as next week and continue this fall as conditions allow. Burning was successfully completed on 145 acres of the 2,027-acre project in 2014. The burn area is located north of Highway 14, east of Rustic.
Appropriate conditions must be met before ignition of this prescribed burn can take place. Fire managers are carefully monitoring these conditions, including a favorable weather forecast (temperature, wind, precipitation, etc.), fuel moisture, smoke dispersal and staffing. Weather is monitored throughout the burn and burning will be halted if conditions fall outside of the required conditions. A minimum of 25 firefighters will staff this burn, including two engines.
In ideal conditions, as many as 500 acres could be burned in one day. The goal of the burn is to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health and wildlife habitat. Work has already taken place within this project area to help ensure the burn stays within its identified perimeter, including over seven miles of line construction and mechanical fuels reduction.
The Forest Service notifies local cooperators, including Larimer County Emergency Services, about these activities before and throughout implementation. Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health.
To check the latest updates on when this burn will occur, check our recorded incident information line at 970-498-1030 or follow us on Twitter @usfsclrd. If you have specific questions related to this prescribed burn, please contact Reghan Cloudman at 970-295-6770.