BOULDER, Colo. –– The Boulder and Clear Creek Ranger Districts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland plan to take advantage of changing weather conditions late fall and winter to burn slash piles left from multiple fuels reductions and hazardous tree removal projects.

These piles are only ignited under certain conditions that take into account favorable weather conditions, snow cover, fuel moisture, smoke dispersal and staffing. The areas are monitored after burning is completed. Firefighters will spend the upcoming months burning piles in a number of locations across the districts. When and where burning occurs depends on the conditions listed above. Public and firefighter safety is always the number one priority in burning operations.

There are approximately 42,000 combined hand and machine piles across both districts. Crews may burn as many as 100 to 800 smaller hand piles a day at each location if favorable conditions are met, which includes a minimum of three inches of snow cover. Some areas within the district also have larger machine piles. Typically, one to 40 of these could be burned at each location per day with a minimum of six inches of snow cover.

Areas on the Boulder Ranger District with hand and machine piles ready for burning are:

• James Creek Project in the vicinity of Gold Lakes, Ward, Overland and Bar K
• Sugarloaf Project near the Peewink Mountain and Gold Hill
• St. Vrain in the vicinity of Raymond
• West Magnolia Project near the community of Nederland

Areas on the Clear Creek Ranger District with hand piles ready for burning are:

• Yankee Hill Project in the vicinity of Columbine Campground, Fall River Road and Apex Mountain
• Evergreen Project near the Cub Creek Trailhead

If you would like to receive regular updates about burning in your area, please email Tammy Williams at tjwilliams@fs.fed.us  to get added to the district’s email contact list. For more information about pile burning on the Boulder Ranger District visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/brdrxfire.  For more information about pile burning on the Clear Creek Ranger District visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/ccrdrxfire.