Burning planned for today! As long as conditions remain favorable, Monongahela Fire Managers plan to burn in the Guinn Ridge and Ramshorn Ridge Prescribed Fire areas beginning today, Thursday April 18. 

PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo., April 11, 2024— The San Juan National Forest’s Pagosa Ranger District is planning to conduct prescribed burns starting in April. Burning operations may take place over multiple days when weather and fuel conditions are favorable for meeting objectives described in the prescribed fire plan. 

Burning operations will utilize both hand and aerial ignitions and will be conducted by Forest Service personnel and cooperating agencies. The burn will take place in the Turkey Springs area eight miles northwest of Pagosa Springs and is composed of several burn units totaling approximately 2,100 acres in size. Some trails will be temporarily closed during burn operations.                

The forests in Southwest Colorado are part of a fire-adapted ecosystem, which has historically experienced frequent, low-intensity fires on a large scale. Prescribed fire replicates that fire regime under controlled conditions.  These burn units are part of the larger Brockover-Devil Creek Prescribed Fire project designed to reduce hazardous ground fuels and long-term risk of catastrophic wildfire, as well as restoring ponderosa pine ecosystems, and improving wildlife habitat.

                       Smoke from wildfires and prescribed fires may affect your health. More information on smoke.

Maps of the prescribed burn units and additional information can be found on Inciweb.  For more information, please contact Fred Ellis, Assistant Fire Management Officer (Fuels), Pagosa Ranger District at fred.ellis@usda.gov.

For information on the San Juan National Forest, call (970) 247-4874, visit the forest website, or follow us on social media (X and Facebook).

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Today, Cleveland NF fuel crews on the Descanso Ranger District are conducting two pile burns in the Mount Laguna area off Sunrise Hwy. Ten acres of piles west of Burnt Ranchera Campground, at the end of Mt Laguna Dr., and one acre at the Sunrise Work Center. Residents and visitors may see smoke from Sunrise Hwy, the I-8, and surrounding communities. We ask the public not to call 911 if smoke and flames are seen in these areas. 

This project funding in part by the President's Inflation Reduction Act which is a part of confronting the wildfire crisis.

Prescribed Fire is part of Confronting the Wildfire Crisis: https://fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis. Prescribed fire plays an important role in forest health and in reducing extreme wildfires and their negative impact. These fires also help reduce heavy fuel loads while simultaneously opening the conifer forest structure and maintaining the health of meadow habitats. Fire is also used to enhance native plant communities and cultural landscapes and improve wildlife habitats. Another goal is to provide defensible space for communities and developed areas within and surrounding the CNF. With all fire comes smoke, and the U.S. Forest Service works to mitigate smoke impacts from prescribed fires on the communities in the area.

This week fuel crews on the Trabuco Ranger District conducted a prescribed broadcast burn near the Firefighter Memorial off SR-74 Ortega Hwy, accomplishing 30 acres. The crews will continue to patrol and monitor the area. Smoke will be visible in the area for the next few days. This project is funded in part by the Presidents Inflation Reduction Act which is a part of confronting the wildfire crisis.

Prescribed Fire is part of Confronting the Wildfire Crisis: https://fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis. Prescribed fire plays an important role in forest health and in reducing extreme wildfires and their negative impact. These fires also help reduce heavy fuel loads while simultaneously opening the conifer forest structure and maintaining the health of meadow habitats. Fire is also used to enhance native plant communities and cultural landscapes and improve wildlife habitats. Another goal is to provide defensible space for communities and developed areas within and surrounding the CNF. With all fire comes smoke, and the U.S. Forest Service works to mitigate smoke impacts from prescribed fires on the communities in the area.

Firefighter Memorial Rx - Trabuco Ranger District - 4/16/2024

Wed, 04/17/2024 - 13:10

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Firefighter Memorial Rx - Trabuco Ranger District - 4/16/2024

Fuel crews accomplished, 30 acres, broadcast burn on the Trabuco Ranger District off the South Main Divide Road near the Firefighter Memorial site.

Crews spent the day continuing to mop-up the perimeter of the prescribed fire and worked on increasing the span of containment line surrounding yesterday's ignited areas of the Forsythe II Prescribed Fire. We do not plan to ignite tomorrow, Wednesday, April 17. 

Fire crews will continue to work in preparation for ignitions at the next available weather window. Residents and visitors in the area may see smoke and flames from the interior of the burned area, which is a normal and expected part of the prescribed burning process. The closure order will remain in effect throughout the duration of this prescribed fire. 

Email notifications are being sent out periodically during ignition periods. To receive these updates, join our email list and select list "Forest Health & Fire: North of Hwy 72 (Coal Creek Canyon) to Hwy 119 Boulder Canyon (Nederland and Magnolia areas)". Additional questions can be sent to ARPFireInfo@usda.gov.

Prescribed burn complete. Fire staff successfully completed the Meadow Creek Unit 1 and 2 Prescribed Burn areas. Everything went well. Crews will continue to monitor and strengthen containment lines into the evening. Smoke will be visible overnight into the morning.

Today, fuel crews on the Trabuco Ranger District, are broadcast burning 30 acres at the Firefighter Memorial off SR-74 Ortega Hwy. Residents and visitors may see smoke from Ortega Hwy, the I-15 and surrounding communities. We ask the public not to call 911 if smoke is seen in the area. 

This project funding in part by the President's Inflation Reduction Act which is a part of confronting the wildfire crisis.

Prescribed Fire is part of Confronting the Wildfire Crisis: https://fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis. Prescribed fire plays an important role in forest health and in reducing extreme wildfires and their negative impact. These fires also help reduce heavy fuel loads while simultaneously opening the conifer forest structure and maintaining the health of meadow habitats. Fire is also used to enhance native plant communities and cultural landscapes and improve wildlife habitats. Another goal is to provide defensible space for communities and developed areas within and surrounding the CNF. With all fire comes smoke, and the U.S. Forest Service works to mitigate smoke impacts from prescribed fires on the communities in the area.

Burning operations have begun! Conditions are favorable and the test burn was successful. Burning operations have begun in the Meadow Creek Unit 1 and 2 Prescribed Burn areas.