Prescribed fire planned this week south of Grand Junction
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Fire managers with the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire and Aviation Management Unit are planning to burn up to 46 acres of Bureau of Land Management administered lands 18 miles south of Grand Junction later this week.
The Farmers Canyon prescribed fire will target ponderosa pine needle cast to protect mature trees from possible wildfire and help restore the landscape to lower the risk of large wildfires and stimulate new vegetation growth that benefits wildlife.
Smoke may be seen but is not expected to impact communities given the remoteness of the area. Fire managers have developed a detailed prescribed fire plan and obtained smoke permits from the State of Colorado for this burn.
“We will only ignite this prescribed fire if conditions are ideal for a safe, effective burn, as well as for good smoke dispersal,” said BLM Fire Management Specialist Jeff Phillips “We evaluate weather, moisture and fuel conditions before deciding whether to proceed.”
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
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The Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire and Aviation Management Unit (UCR) includes Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service firefighting resources that cover 5.8 million acres along the Interstate 70, Colorado River and Roaring Fork River corridors from the Continental Divide to the Utah state line. The UCR includes the White River National Forest and the BLM’s Colorado River Valley and Grand Junction field offices. The UCR cooperates with other federal and state agencies, local communities, and fire departments on a wide range of activities including fuels treatments, fire prevention, and suppression.
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.