BLM planning prescribed burns in Southeastern Colorado
The Bureau of Land Management is preparing to conduct pile burns in six locations managed by the Royal Gorge Field Office and four locations managed by the San Luis Valley Field Office. This process helps remove the accumulation of natural fuels, which is critical to maintaining the health of the forest ecosystem and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
Pile burns could occur as early as December 2025 and could continue through April 2026, depending on weather and fuel moisture conditions. Smoke from the pile burns will be visible throughout the day of the burn, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas.
Royal Gorge Field Office Locations
Frenchman Creek: Seven miles north of Buena Vista, west of US highway 24, Chaffee County Road 386. 85 acres, 32 machine piles of Lodgepole pine.
Mount Shavano: Three miles northwest of Poncha Springs, west of Highway 285 and north of US Highway 50. 182 acres, 3000 hand piles of Ponderosa pine, piñon, and juniper.
North Stoney Face: 17 miles north of Cotopaxi, south of Fremont County Road 12 and Firebox Road. Two acres, three machine piles of Engelmann spruce.
Soapy Hill Piles: 11 miles south of Guffey, Fremont County Road 21 and 26, south of Tallahassee Road (Fremont County Road 2). West of Highway 9. 90 acres of five machine piles, 265 acres of 2000 hand piles of Ponderosa pine, piñon, juniper, and mixed conifer.
Thompson Mountain: 13 miles northwest of Cañon City, two miles east of Highway 9, in the Deer Haven area near Thompson Mountain. 35 machine piles of Ponderosa pine, piñon, juniper, and Gambel oak.
Turkey Gulch: 15 miles northwest of Westcliffe, at the intersection of Highway 69 and Gulch Road. 42 acres of 1000 hand piles of Ponderosa pine, piñon, and juniper.
San Luis Valley Field Office Locations
Biedell: Eight miles north/northwest of LaGarita, two miles north of the Lime Creek subdivision on Saguache County Road 42K. 500 piles of Ponderosa Pine, Doulas fir, Aspen, and grass.
Poncha Pass: Piles are located 6.5 miles south of Poncha Springs. 30 large machine and hand piles containing Aspen and Douglas fir slash and non-merchantable logs.
Macintire Mansion piles: Four miles east/northeast of Sanford. Two machine-built piles containing Cottonwood.
Blanca Wetlands piles: The piles are approximately 11 northeast of Alamosa. 20 piles of invasive Russian Olive slash.
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, please visit the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division’s website.
For general information on Royal Gorge Field Office operations, please contact Matt Norden, Fire Management Officer, BLM Rocky Mountain District Fire and Aviation Management, at (719) 269-8583.
For general information on San Luis Valley Field Office operations, please contact Scott Nilson, Fire Management Specialist for BLM Rocky Mountain District Fire and Aviation Management at (719) 852-8150.
For media inquiries, please contact Levi Spellman, Department of the Interior Public Affairs Specialist, at (719) 839-1584.
Updates on prescribed burns will be available on the BLM Colorado Fire Facebook page.
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.