Ignitions are complete on the remaining 12 acres of piles for a total of 137 acres treated. Crews will now hold, patrol and monitor for the foreseeable future until the piles are called out.

Oct. 9, 2023—With Friday's wind event behind them, fire crews are continuing with ignitions today. Their goal is to finish the remaining piles from 12 acres of thinning, completing pile burning in the unit. Although no new snow has fallen, on-site snow in the area has remained and conditions are conducive to burning.

The National Weather Service spot forecast for the has temperatures in the low 30s, minimum humidity in the mid 30s and winds of 5 to 10 mph. There is a slight chance for snow showers, mainly this morning.

Tahoe National Forest fire personnel will be igniting 11.5 acres of handpiles today, Dec. 8, 2023 near the Captain Roberts Boat Ramp at Stampede Reservoir. Smoke may be visible with impacts minimal.

01/06/2024 - 

• 2:00 p.m. Ignitions have ceased for the day. Crews burned 460 piles.
• 10:20 a.m. crews are proceeding with ignitions at the Fair piles

01/05/2024 - 

• 1:00 p.m. Ignitions have ceased for the day. Crews burned 360 hand piles over 10 acres.
• 10:30 a.m. Crews are proceeding with ignitions.

01/04/2024 - 

• Grand County (Sulphur Ranger District) locations with possible ignitions as soon as Thursday, January 4: Fair Tracts

Dec. 7, 2023-Fire crews completed ignitions on most of the Ojo Sarco Unit today, leaving piles from just 12 acres of thinning untouched. The remaining piles are in a gully with no snow around them. 

Crews will continue patrolling and holding on Friday but will not conduct ignitions due to forecasted winds. The unit is completely surrounded by control features, such as Highway 76 and containment lines. 

A chance of snow over Friday night might bring suitable conditions for burning the remaining piles Saturday. If not, they will be addressed in the future. 

Forest Service crews were joined by a number of local cooperators. Members of the Ojo Sarco Volunteer Fire Department patrolled neighborhoods to speak to residents while fire personnel from the Latir Volunteer Fire Department, Red River, Taos County and the Forest Stewards Guild’s All-Hands All-Lands Burn Team were assigned to firing and holding groups. A Picuris Pueblo engine crew was on standby as a contingency resource. 

This work is part of the Green Fuelwood Areas Project to provide residents with fuelwood opportunities and address forest health and resiliency. The area was a public green fuelwood gathering area in 2016, followed by thinning, piling and burning of underbrush. Dead and down fuelwood gathering has been ongoing. 

Operational updates for this project are posted to InciWeb and Carson National Forest social media (Facebook, X).

Oct. 7, 2023-Fire crews have begun pile burning along Highway 76 and south of Ojo Sarco. Smoke is visible from the area.

Fire personnel from Ojo Sarco Volunteer Fire Department, Taos County, Red River, Latir Volunteer Fire Department and the Forest Stewards Guild are assisting with today’s operation. Their roles include firing, holding and patrolling neighborhoods to speak to residents.

Ignitions could last at least two days, which may not be consecutive. The piles were made from 137 acres of thinning as part of the Green Furlwood Areas Project, which provided fuelwood opportunities to residents while improving forest health and resilience.

Crews will be igniting 6 hand piles at the Truckee District Office today, Dec. 7, 2023.  Smoke impacts will be very minimal but smoke will be visible from various locations in and around Truckee.

Fire crews wrapped up ignitions on all piles slated for burning this season. The piles were created from 550 acres of thinning. Crews will patrol and monitor until the prescribed fire is called out.

Dec. 6, 2023-Fire crews are continuing with pile burning. Smoke may be visible from the area.

Pile burning in the Highway 150 Wildland Urban Interface Project is postponed. Crews attempted to begin work on December 2, but encountered conditions not conducive to burning down fuels. The piles will be treated at a later time, which could be in fall/winter 2024 after the recently cut piles have had more time to dry out.”