Salida, Colo., Sept. 24, 2024 —The Salida Ranger District of the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands is planning two prescribed fire projects for this fall, one at North Trout Creek and another at Threemile Creek.
Ignitions are expected to take one to four days at each project area and could begin as early as October 1 to mid-November 2024. Fire and fuels staff will monitor fuel and weather conditions to determine appropriate burn windows.
The Threemile Creek prescribed fire project is approximately three miles west of Centerville, Colo., and will treat 345 acres south of Browns Creek Trailhead, east of Forest Road 272. Temporary road closures on portions of Forest Roads 272, 272.A, and 272.B will be necessary to provide for public and firefighter safety.
The North Trout Creek prescribed fire project will treat two units approximately four miles east of Buena Vista, Colo. One unit includes a 795-acre area north of McGee Gulch and Shields Gulch between Forest Roads 376 and 376.B. The second unit includes 330 acres bordered by Forest Road 375 and 377 to the east and the Vitamin B Trail to the west. Temporary road closures of Forest Roads 375, 377, 376, and 376.B will be necessary to provide for public and firefighter safety. Other roads will remain open to provide alternate access options.
“I am hopeful we will get the right conditions to meet all criteria to conduct these wildfire fuels reduction prescribed burns. We have had great success with prescribed fire on units nearby in the past two to three years,” said Salida District Ranger Perry Edwards.
The goals of the projects are to reduce the accumulation of hazardous fuels and to restore and maintain healthy and diverse forest ecosystems and wildlife habitat. Prescribed fire is an important tool to lessen the risk of wildfire across the landscape and can help prevent high severity wildfires by reducing buildup. Prescribed fire creates less of a smoke impact than wildfire and can help reduce the occurrence of wildfire-related smoke in the treated areas.
Once the prescribed fire begins, smoke may be present for several days throughout the Arkansas River Valley. Prescribed fire smoke may affect people’s health. For more information, visit https://www.colorado.gov/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
Fire personnel will monitor the burn units until the fire is completely out. Follow @PSICC_NF on X and Facebook for up-to-date information on this and other topics. Use #SalidaRX, #NTroutCreekRX and #3MileCreekRX for prescribed fire notifications. For more fire information resources, please visit our website. For more local information, contact the Salida Ranger District at 719-539-3591.
