Single Incident Information

Arapaho National Forest fire managers and their partners are monitoring conditions for opportunities, starting as soon as Oct. 1, to continue prescribed broadcast fire work at the Blue Ridge Project Area located near Big Meadows, south of Cottonwood Pass. Previous years of project work have resulted in 774 acres treated in the area, and fire managers have prepared up to 900 acres of forest to be burned over several days this year if conditions allow.

Implementing prescribed fire is a critical part of reducing the risk of wildfire to communities and improving forest health conditions in Grand County. The Blue Ridge area is the geographic feature that runs North-South from Granby to Fraser, between the burn areas of the East Troublesome, Church Park and Williams Fork fires. Improving forest health conditions in this area is a key component of local Community Wildfire Protection Plans and is being conducted in cooperation with local fire district personnel.

Smoke from this prescribed burn may be visible from many areas in the county, including Parshall, Granby, and parts of the Fraser Valley. Smoke may also travel to areas farther along the Front Range and across the Continental Divide, depending on wind and weather conditions that day. Fire managers work closely with the National Weather Service and the Colorado State Smoke Monitoring Program to minimize the impacts of smoke, and to assist in air quality monitoring during a prescribed fire. To learn more about the potential health impacts of smoke visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Years of suppressing fires has limited the important work that wildfires play in reducing and recycling vegetation and led to overly dense and unhealthy forests that can fuel large, high- intensity wildfires. This project is part of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest effort to protect watersheds and improve wildlife habitat and forest health conditions by reducing the build-up of hazardous fuels. All burning will be implemented in close coordination and with assistance from local cooperating agencies and partners, state and county public health agencies, and local fire cooperators.

Prior to burning, fire managers carefully monitor conditions, including favorable weather forecast (temperature, wind, precipitation), fuel moisture, smoke dispersal and staffing. If conditions adversely change during operations, appropriate action to secure the burn will be taken until it is within prescribed parameters. Public and firefighter safety is always the number one priority in burning operations.

To receive updates on this prescribed fire project as well as other fire information for the area, join our email list through Constant Contact and select the list "Forest Health & Fire: Grand County (Winter Park, Fraser, Granby, Grand Lake, Hot Sulphur)"

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The Blue Ridge Salvage and Fuels Reduction Project is part of the Forest Service’s on-going effort to improve forest health conditions on the Sulphur Ranger District. Blue Ridge is the geographic feature that runs North-South from Granby to Fraser, between the East Troublesome, Church Park and Williams Fork fires. Improving forest health conditions in this area is a key component of the Hot Sulphur, Fraser and Grand County Community Wildfire Protection Plans.

The goals of the Blue Ridge prescribed burn are to reduce hazardous fuels, improve forest health and wildlife habitat, and protect watersheds. Improving conditions in this area is a key component of the Hot Sulphur, Fraser and Grand County Community Wildfire Protection Plans.