BLM TO CONDUCT PRESCRIBED BURNS IN DELTA, GUNNISON, MONTROSE, SAGUACHE, AND OURAY COUNTIES

Organization

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Southwest District Office

Media Contact:

Deana Harms

MONTROSE, Colo.The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to burn slash piles on BLM-administered lands at several locations in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre field offices as conditions allow, including:

  • Along the Gunnison River within the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area approximately 8 miles east of Delta
  • Along the Gunnison River within the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area beginning approximately 6 miles downstream from the Escalante boat ramp
  • Adjacent to private lands along Ouray County Road 14A
  • Around Los Pinos Pass and up the Cebolla Creek drainage east of Lake City
  • On the Alpine Plateau above the Arrowhead Subdivision.

“The project goals for the Uncompahgre Field Office burns are to provide for public and firefighter safety, reduce hazardous fuels that pose a wildfire risk, and restore native plant communities in riparian areas,” stated Rusty Stark, BLM Fire Management Specialist for the Uncompahgre Field Office. “The operations will reduce fuel loading and create defensible space adjacent to private property, remove invasive species like tamarisk and Russian olive, and reduce fuel loading along the Gunnison River.”

“Burn projects in the Los Pinos and Alpine Plateau areas will improve forest health by reducing hazardous fuels left following bug kill mitigation efforts,” added Brian Stevens, BLM Fire Management Specialist for the Gunnison Field Office.  

The BLM has obtained the required smoke permit from the Colorado State Air Pollution Control Division that identifies atmospheric conditions under which the burns can be implemented and will adhere to a detailed burn plan that outlines strict parameters for prescribed burns. Pile burning may take multiple days to complete and will be closely monitored to ensure public safety. While visible at times, most smoke should lift and dissipate during the warmest parts of the day.

“The burn plan for this project contains specific weather conditions and air quality criteria that must be met to help ensure control of the burn and minimize potential smoke impacts to local communities,” noted Stark.

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, please go to: https://www.colorado.gov/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health. Contact the Uncompahgre Field Office at 970-240-5300 or Gunnison Field Office at 970-642-4940 for additional information.

For information on wildfires, prescribed burns and fire restrictions in the area, visit the Montrose Interagency Dispatch website https://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2mtc/, or follow us on Twitter @SWD_Fire and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BLMMontroseFireUnit.

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The BLM manages more than 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.