Local Fire Information
CONTACT FIRE INFORMATION LINE: 970-240-1070
PRESCRIBED BURNS SCHEDULED FOR NORWOOD/MONTROSE REGION
MONTROSE, Colo. – Crews from the Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office and the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests will be conducting several prescribed burns in west-central Colorado throughout the coming weeks. Burning could begin as soon as September 4 and will continue as long as weather permits. The six areas slated for treatment are:
Norwood/Nucla Area
-Columbine: 715 acres, project area located 12 miles northeast of Nucla
-Coal Canyon: 200 acres, project area located 6 miles north of Nucla
Uncompahgre-North Fork Valleys
-Dave Wood: 400 acres, project area located 12 miles southwest of Montrose
-Escalante: 350 acres, project area located 18 miles southwest of Delta
-Sand Mountain: 900 acres, project area located 3 miles east of Crawford
-Paxton: 300 acres, project area located 9 miles west-southwest of Montrose
Fuels being treated in these areas range from mechanically treated pinyon-juniper at the lower elevations to ponderosa pine with a mountain shrub understory at higher elevations. The main objective of these prescribed fires is to reduce dense vegetation to lessen the chance for catastrophic wildfires. These burns will also improve wildlife habitat, regenerate new growth and discourage pine beetle infestation in affected areas.
Weather conditions will be closely monitored, and burns will only be initiated if conditions are within established parameters for safe and effective fires. Each prescribed burn conducted by the agencies has gone through an environmental analysis and has a detailed burn plan developed in advance, along with appropriate smoke permits obtained from state agencies. For additional information, contact Dan Huisjen at (970) 240-5339 or Steve Ellis at (970) 240-5350.
CONTACT: Jerry Chonka, Fire Management Officer, (970) 642-4411
FALL 2007 USFS and BLM CONTROLLED BURNS FOR GUNNISON AREA
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are planning to conduct controlled burns this fall, weather dependent, in the following areas:
Steers Gulch (BLM): This burn is 4 miles northwest of Gunnison in the upper Steers Gulch drainage. About 116 acres are planned for burning. Regenerating aspen and wildlife habitat improvement are the main objectives.
Goose Creek (BLM): This burn is 3 miles northwest of Powderhorn along County Road 26 (Sapinero Cutoff Road). About 116 acres are planned for burning with hazardous fuels reduction and ecosystem restoration the primary objectives.
Long Gulch (BLM): This burn is about eight miles southeast of Gunnison in the Green Mt/ Dutch Gulch area. About 100 acres are planed for burning with hazardous fuels reduction and ecosystem restoration the primary objectives.
Powderhorn (BLM): Eight miles south of Powderhorn along the Ten Mile Springs road, a burn of about 100 acres is planed to reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat.
One Mile (USFS): This burn is 14 miles northeast of Gunnison in the Beaver Creek drainage. Wildlife habitat improvement, range betterment and fuels reduction are the primary objectives with about 800 acres planned for burning.
Flat Top (USFS): This burn is 10 miles north of Gunnison on the west side of Flat Top. The area planned for burning is north of the Henkle Road and south of the Castleton Ranch. About 700 acres are planned for burning. Range betterment, fuels reduction, and wildlife habitat improvement are the main objectives.
If you have any questions or comments, please call us at (970) 641-0471 or stop by our office at 216 N. Colorado, Gunnison.
