Continued Prescribed Burning in West Rim Pines
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DOLORES, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management’s Tres Rios Field Office plans to begin several prescribed burns as early as next week, or as conditions allow. The prescribed burns will treat up to 600 acres of ponderosa pine and Gambel oak.
The planned prescribed burns are part of a larger project to reduce hazardous fuels; protect wildland urban interface communities; improve big game habitat, sage grouse habitat, and range conditions; and reintroduce fire to a fire adapted ecosystem to restore healthy forests and species diversity. The West Rim Pines Project includes twenty separate units – all located about seven miles east of Dove Creek, Colorado on BLM-managed lands. Several units of the West Rim Pines Project were successfully treated last fall. Crews anticipate introducing fire to eight units as early as Thursday, August 25.
A detailed burn plan outlines the parameters for prescribed burning on each unit.
“The burn plan contains specific criteria regarding weather conditions and air quality that must be met to help ensure control of the burn as well as to minimize the potential smoke impacts to local communities,” said Ian Barrett, BLM Fire Management Specialist.
The BLM has obtained Smoke Permits from the Colorado State Air Pollution Control Division which identify atmospheric conditions under which the burns can be implemented. Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, visit https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
The prescribed burns may be completed through the fall, and will be monitored once completed to ensure public safety. While smoke may be visible in the area at times, most of the smoke will lift and dissipate during the warmest parts of the day. Smoke may be visible in the area for several days after each burn is completed as vegetation in the interior continues to smolder.
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.