Firefighters plan prescribed burn in Palisade Watershed
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Federal fire officials from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit are planning to conduct a prescribed fire on the Palisade Watershed within the next few weeks, once conditions are favorable.
The prescribed burn could produce smoke on the slopes of the Grand Mesa that may be visible in the Grand Valley.
An agreement completed among the Bureau of Land Management, the Town of Palisade and City of Grand Junction identified a need to remove heavy fuel loads and improve environmental conditions on more than 600 acres in the Palisade Watershed. UCR firefighters successfully completed a 330-acre prescribed fire in the watershed in April 2013.
Federal fire officials plan to target oak brush and other shrubs on about 230 acres in the coming weeks. Earlier this year, firefighters burned 66 acres to create a buffer around the perimeter of this prescribed fire area. The upcoming prescribed fire will produce more smoke than the burn this spring because it will cover more acres.
This burn will decrease fuel loads, helping to reduce the risk of a much larger wildfire that could threaten the watershed. A prescribed fire will burn much less intensely than a wildfire but will still be effective at reducing fuel loads in the area. The planned burn will also improve wildlife habitat by stimulating new, more nutritious plant production in the burned area. Plants have responded well in the more than 400 acres that has been burned since 2013.
A detailed prescribed fire plan has been developed, and appropriate smoke permits have been obtained from the State of Colorado. This prescribed fire will only be conducted if weather conditions are safe for effective burning and smoke dispersal.
For more information about this prescribed fire, contact Lathan Johnson, (970) 244-3120.
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.