Vallecito-Piedra Prescribed Fire planned for Beaver Meadows and First Notch areas of the Columbine Ranger District

Bayfield, CO April 24, 2023—The Columbine Ranger District is planning to burn approximately 1,500 acres in the Beaver Meadows and First Notch areas of the San Juan National Forest to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and improve forest health. The Vallecito-Piedra prescribed fire project area is located approximately 10 miles northeast of Bayfield. Operations may begin as soon as late April and continue into early summer, depending on weather conditions and availability of fire personnel and other resources.

Ignitions will take place over several consecutive days and operations may take multiple weeks to complete. Burning operations will be conducted by district personnel and other fire resources from the Forest Service and partner agencies using both ground and aerial ignition. Prescribed fires will only be ignited when all weather, fuels and smoke requirements are met.

This burn project is aimed at reducing hazardous ground fuels, reducing the risk of unplanned catastrophic wildfire, restoring ponderosa pine ecosystems, and improving wildlife habitat. The forests in Southwest Colorado are part of a fire-adapted ecosystem, which historically experienced frequent, low intensity fires on a large scale. Prescribed fire replicates that fire regime and increases the area on our landscape that has been burned at low and moderate conditions.

Daytime smoke is expected to travel to the north/northeast and to be lofted high into the sky. Nighttime smoke is expected to travel downslope into the Beaver Creek drainage, the Piedra River, and south to the Pine River just north of Ignacio.  Smoke will be heavier in the mornings following burning operations, then lifting and clearing out by mid-day. Smoke will be visible from Bayfield, Pagosa Springs, and the U.S. Highway 160 corridor between those two towns. Learn how smoke from prescribed fire may affect your health by visiting the Colorado Department of Public Health website.

For more information on the Vallecito-Piedra Prescribed Fire Project, please contact the Columbine Ranger District at (970) 884-2512. More information on the San Juan NF prescribed fire program can be found on Inciweb. For information on the San Juan National Forest, call (970) 247-4874, visit the forest website, or follow us on social media (Twitter and Facebook).

Trabuco Ranger District:

Plans 500 acres around the communities of Lake Elsinore; Elsinore Peak, Rancho Capistrano Community, Ortega Corridor and El Cariso Village. Blue Jay and Falcon Campgrounds. Areas adjacent to North Main Divide rd. From Main Street Canyon down to Bald Peak near Bedford Road. Along with burning piles around the Corona Fire Station, Temescal Fire Station, El Cariso Fire Station, Silverado Fire Station, and San Juan Fire Station. Heavy smoke may be visible from the nearby communities of El Cariso Village, Rancho Capistrano, La Cresta, Wildomar, Orange County and Riverside County (Corona, Temescal Valley). Nearby roadways including Ortega Highway, South Main Divide, North Main Divide, Skyline Road, Bedford Road, Maple Springs Road. Also, the 91 Freeway will be visible along with I-15 and the 241-Toll Road.

• North Main Divide Fuel Break Broadcast Prescribed Fire is located along North main Dived and Skyline Road or Bedford Road. This broadcast burn consists of 218 aces of cut and piled Chaparral. North Main Divide units will be burned within the fuelbreak visible to the communities of Corona, Temescal Valley, Silverado Canyon and this site along the border of Riverside County & Orange County line. The units will be burned in blocks as weather and conditions permit.

• SMDGEC Broadcast Prescribed Burn is approximately 250 acres. The burning will be low intensity. Pile burning intended to reduce fuel loading for nearby communities. Units are located near El Cariso Village, Rancho Capistrano, South Main Divide and Elsinore Peak.

• Trabuco Admin Pile Burns are located at all Forest Service Fire Stations and campgrounds or Admin Buildings. These admin sites are located in; Corona, Temescal Valley, Wildomar Silverado Canyon, Lake Elsinore and San Juan Capistrano. The units consist of cut and piled chaparral and small diameter trees. The piles will be burned in blocks as weather and conditions permit.

Palomar Ranger District:

Plans between 800 and 1,100 acres in 2023, prescribed fire operations will take place in the areas of Fry Creek/ Palomar Mountain, Aguanga Ridge, Warner Springs, Ramona near San Diego Country Estates/Barona Mesa, and various administrative sites to include Goose Valley Fire Station, Pine Hills Fire Station, Oak Grove and Dripping Springs Fire Stations. Smoke may be visible from the nearby communities of Palomar Mountain, Warner Springs, Henshaw, Sunshine Summit and Ramona near San Diego River Gorge Trailhead, Four Corners and Barona Mesa. Nearby roadways including Palomar Divide Road 9S07, High Point Road 8S05, East Grade, Canfield Road, Conifer Road, Lost Valley Road, Four Corners, Westside Road, Ramona Oaks and Hwy 79 between Hwy 76 and Hwy 371.

• Palomar Fuelbreak Broadcast Prescribed Fire is located along Aguanga Ridge accessed by Palomar Divide Road. This broadcast burn consists of 190 aces of cut, scattered Montane Chaparral. Aguanga Ridge units will be burned within the fuelbreak visible to the communities of Warner Springs, Henshaw, Palomar Mountain and Sunshine Summit. The units will be burned in blocks as weather and conditions permit.

• Fry Creek Broadcast Prescribed Burn is approximately 100 acres. The burning will be low intensity understory burning intended to reduce fuel loading on dead and down trees in addition to the timber litter understory and cut/piled slash material. Units are located near West and South of Fry Creek Campground, East of Doane Valley and Observatory Campground Southwest of Palomar Observatory.

• Palomar Mountain Pile Burns are located on Palomar Mountain from milepost marker 6 on East Grade, Jeff Valley near Conifer Road, South and West of Fry Creek Campground, Palomar Divide Road to Morgan Hill and East of Pauma Reservation. The units consist of cut and piled montane chaparral and small diameter trees. The piles will be burned in blocks as weather and conditions permit.

• Ramona Fuelbreak Pile burn units are located southeast of Ramona, San Diego Country Estates. Access off Ramona Oaks, Thornbush, Four Corners, Barona Mesa, and Westside Road. The fuelbreak area consists of 232 acres cut and piled Montane Chaparral. The piles will be burned in blocks as weather and conditions permit.

• The North District Pile burning will be conducted along Lost Valley Road and Palomar Divide Road from Hwy. 79 to Deer Flats. The fuels consist of 120 acres cut and piled Montane Chaparral. The piles will be burned in blocks as weather and conditions permit.

Descanso Ranger District:

Plans between 500 and 800 acres. Piles will be burned within a fuel break around communities. Piles consist of cut and piled chaparral and coastal sage scrub. The piles will be burned in blocks as weather and conditions permit. Smoke may be visible from the nearby communities of Alpine, and Mount Laguna. Nearby Roadways: Sunrise Highway, Interstate 8 between Dunbar and Crestwood exits, Victoria Lane, Anderson Truck Trail, Viejas Creek, Star Valley, and Alpine Blvd.

• The Alpine Fuel Break is located on the outskirts of the community of Alpine. Piles will be burned within the fuel break on the East and South-East side of the community of Alpine. The area consists of cut and piled chaparral and coastal sage scrub. The piles will be burned in blocks as weather and conditions permit.

• The Prescribed burning on Mount Laguna will be conducted in several different areas along Sunrise Hwy. The fuels consist of cut and piled montane chaparral in some units and timber litter in others.

Residents in the area should call their local district office for more information on burn projects.

Forest Service News Release

Public Affairs Officer: Christopher Leeser

(814) 728-6281

        christopher.leeser@usda.gov

             www.fs.usda.gov/allegheny/

Allegheny National Forest Spring Prescribed Fire Plan

Warren, PA, April 21, 2023 — The US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service plans to use prescribed fire as a forest management tool during April and May in the Allegheny National Forest. We do not have exact dates yet. Our operations are weather dependent, and we will implement prescribed fires at the optimal time to achieve the best results. This spring, we plan to treat 446 acres spread across five project areas located in the Warren County portion of the Bradford Ranger District. Please see the attached map for project locations.

We will notify communities near the burn sites 24 to 48 hours before ignitions.  To keep community members well informed during the burns, we will post road signs, road guards, and information on our social media channels, @Allegheny_NF / Twitter and AlleghenyNF / Facebook. For maps and additional information please visit InciWeb, the Incident Information System. For your convenience, the direct link is - Spring Prescribed Fire Plan.

We conduct prescribed fires with the safety of the public and firefighters as the highest priority. We use fire as a tool only when the parameters of our approved burn plan are met, including wind speed and direction, relative humidity, temperature, fire danger, seasonal restrictions, and mitigation of potential smoke impacts.

Fire management staff, in collaboration with Forest resource specialists, identified wildfire fuels reduction, forest health, wildlife, and ecosystem management objectives to accomplish with the use of prescribed fire.

Fires are a historic and natural process for some ecosystems in the Allegheny National Forest, grasslands and oak-hickory forests are two prime examples. Oak-hickory forests, which comprise approximately 16 percent of the Forest, require periodic fires to reduce competing undesirable vegetation, recycle soil nutrients and stimulate the increased production of acorns, blueberries, blackberries, and other mast crops.

White-tailed deer, turkey, butterflies, songbirds, grouse, snakes, turtles, and other wildlife species utilize burned areas for feeding, nesting, warming, and a place to raise their young. Prescribed fires also reduce the amount of hazardous fuels that, when left unburned, can lead to uncontrolled wildfires that could threaten human life and property.

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

Today crews mopped up around the entire perimeter of the treated area. Cooler weather and moisture arrived – the project is currently receiving precipitation. No new ignitions occurred. Smoke may continue to be visible. Firefighters will continue to staff the area through the week and weekend.

April 18, 2023 - Evening Update –– Burn operations have concluded successfully on the Grizzly Fuel Break prescribed burn. The burn piles are holding in place and will be monitored in patrol status. Firefighters were able to accomplish 300 acres today. Smoke may still be visible through the night.

#PrescribedBurn #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #GrizzlyFuelBreakprescribedburn

April 18, 2023 - Evening Update –– Burn operations have concluded successfully on the Grizzly Fuel Break prescribed burn. The burn piles are holding in place and will be monitored in patrol status. Firefighters were able to accomplish 300 acres today. Smoke may still be visible through the night.

#PrescribedBurn #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #GrizzlyFuelBreakprescribedburn

April 18, 2023 - Evening Update –– Burn operations have concluded successfully on the City Creek Station 38 near Highland in the Front Country Ranger District. The burn piles are holding in place and will be monitored in patrol status. Firefighters were able to accomplish 25 acres today. Smoke may still be visible through the night.

#PrescribedBurn #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #CityCreekPrescribedBurn

April 18, 2023 - Evening Update – Burn operations have concluded successfully on the Cranston Reforestation area near Southeast Mountain Center in the San Jacinto Ranger District. The burn piles are holding in place and will be monitored in patrol status. Firefighters were able to accomplish 5 acres out of the 15 before the winds picked up. Smoke may still be visible through the night.

#PrescribedBurn #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #CranstonResforestationPrescribedBurn