Fire managers with the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit are planning to begin burning slash piles in the coming weeks on White River National Forest and Bureau of Land Management-administered lands in Summit, Eagle and Garfield counties.

Crews may burn tens to hundreds of piles per day depending on location and conditions. Most of the smoke will dissipate during the day. However, some smoke could remain in valley bottoms and drainages at night for short durations. Firefighters will be on the scene during the day, but piles will be allowed to burn or smolder unattended overnight. Personnel will monitor the project areas for several days following pile burning. 

If conditions allow, pile burning will occur across the three counties in the following locations: 

In Summit County, crews are planned to burn piles on National Forest System lands in the Breckenridge area (Blue River West, Boreas Pass, Highlands Drive, and Barton Gulch to Peak 7), Keystone area (Frey Gulch, Keystone Gulch), Silverthorne area (Ruby Ranch, Harrigan to Rock Creek) and Frisco area (Heaton Bay, Ophir Mountain, Willow Brook). 

In Eagle County, crews are planning burn piles on Bureau of Land Management lands in the Bellyache Ridge area south of Wolcott and on National Forest System Lands north of Minturn (Trapper’s Run). 

Pile burning is planned on National Forest System Lands in Garfield County near the Sunlight Mountain communication site. 

Fire managers have developed a detailed prescribed fire plan and obtained smoke permits from the State of Colorado. Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, visit Colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.