BLM plans seasonal pile burns

The Bureau of Land Management is preparing to conduct pile burns in seven locations within the Royal Gorge Field Office and in three locations within the San Luis Valley Field Office. Pile burns are conducted each winter to remove dead wood and other flammable materials from forested areas. This process is critical to maintaining the health of the forest ecosystem and to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Pile burns could occur as early as November 2024 and could continue through April 2025, depending on weather and fuel moisture conditions. Smoke from the pile burns will be visible throughout the day of the burn, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas.

According to the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, “Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information see www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health”.

Royal Gorge Locations

1. Frenchman Creek: 7 miles north of Buena Vista, west of US HWY 24, Chaffee CR 386.  85 acres, 32 machine piles.  Lodgepole pine.
2. West Kerr Gulch: 5 miles southeast of Howard, CO and 3 miles northwest of Coaldale, CO south of US HWY 50.  Kerr Gulch Road. 222 acres, 5,000 hand piles.  Mixed conifer.
3. Mount Shavano: 3 miles northwest of Poncha Springs, west of HWY 285 and north of US HWY 50. 182 acres, 3000 hand piles. Ponderosa pine, piñon, and juniper.
4. North Stoney Face: 17 miles north of Cotopaxi, CO, south of Fremont CR 12 and Firebox Road. 176 acres, 19 machine piles, Engelmann spruce. 
5. Soapy Hill Piles: 11 miles south of Guffey, CO, Fremont CR 21 and 26, south of the Tallahassee RD (Fremont CR 2).  West of HWY 9. 90 acres of 5 machine piles, 265 acres of 2000 hand piles. Ponderosa pine, piñon, juniper, and mixed conifer.
6. Thompson Mountain: 13 miles northwest of Cañon City, 2 miles east of HWY 9, and in the Deer Haven area near Thompson Mountain. 35 machine piles. Ponderosa pine, piñon, juniper and Gambel oak.
7. Turkey Gulch:  15 miles northwest of Westcliffe, CO, at the intersection of HWY 69 and Gulch Road. 42 acres of 1000 hand piles, ponderosa pine, piñon, and juniper.

San Luis Valley Locations

1. Biedell – 500 piles. Legal Location: T43N R6E sections 21 & 22. Piles are large hand piles, and the surrounding fuel type is Ponderosa Pine, Doulas fir, Aspen, and grass. The project is located on BLM lands 8 miles north/northwest of LaGarita, CO, two miles north of the Lime Creek subdivision on Saguache CR 42K. 
2. Poncha Pass – 10 piles. Legal Location:  T48N R8E section 16. There are three large machine piles and several hand piles. Piles are the remainder of harvest activities from two years ago containing aspen and Douglas fir slash and non-merchantable logs. Piles are located 6.5 miles south of Poncha Springs, CO.
3. Macintire Mansion piles – 2 piles. Legal Location: T35N R11E section 7 & 18. There are two machine-built piles containing Cottonwood debris from the protection of the old mansion and debris from maintaining ditches.  The project is located on BLM lands four miles east/northeast of Sanford, CO.

For additional information concerning Royal Gorge Field Office pile burns, contact Matt Norden, Fire Management Officer, BLM Rocky Mountain District Fire, at (719) 269-8583. For additional information concerning San Luis Valley pile burns, contact Scott Nilson, Assistant Fire Management Officer, BLM Rocky Mountain District Fire and Aviation Management, at (719) 852-8150.

For media enquiries, please contact Levi Spellman, Public Affairs Specialist, BLM Rocky Mountain District Public Affairs Specialist, at (719) 839-1584.