USFS to burn slash piles

A significant amount of snow and cold weather in the area has allowed fire personnel in the Medicine Bow and Routt National Forests to begin preparing for the annual slash pile burning, according to a press release from United States Forest Service (USFS) Public Affairs Specialist Aaron Voos.

“Hundreds of piles exist on the two National Forests in Colorado and Wyoming and they need to be removed,” Voos wrote. “The piles are typically a result of fuels reduction projects.”

In the press release, Voos went on to write that forest users and the public “should be aware of and expect to see smoke throughout the upcoming months, as many piles will be burned near communities, travel routes and popular recreation areas.” Voos added that the burning of highly visible piles will be advertised closer to the date of ignition and that people should direct questions to their local Ranger District Offices.

Jay Miller, the Fire Management Officer for the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland, is quoted in the press release as saying “Pile burning is about removing undesirable fuels, and it remains an important part of our annual program of work.”

According to the press release, the two National Forests have completed several forest management projects in recent years. These projects include removing dead trees from travel corridors and recreation areas, as well as reducing hazardous fuels generated from the bark beetle epidemic. The press release went on to read that remaining fuels have been gathered into piles and the main objective of the pile burns is to reduce the remaining dead fuels.

“Fire managers will monitor weather forecasts prior to igniting piles. Burns are only initiated if conditions are within established paramters for safe, effective fires,” the press release read. “Predicted weather needs to allow for safe burning and the elimination of any threat of fire spreading to surrounding vegitation. Pile burning will take place during fall and winter, as long as weather permits access.”

The press release went on to read that each prescribed burn that has been planned by the National Forests has gone through an environmental analysis and has a detailed burn plan. Additionally, smoke from all prescribed fires is closely monitored to ensure that the conditions for smoke dispersal are being met and has been developed in collaboration with both the Colorado Air Pollution/Control Division and the Wyoming Air Quality Division.

Public notification of the site-specific pile burning will occur on the National Forests’ Twitter account, @FS_MBRTB.

For site specific information, people can contact the Brush Creek/Hayden District in Saratoga at 307-326-5258 or visit their website at https://fs.usda.gov/mbr.