Black Ridge prescribed burn planned for tomorrow
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Smoke may be visible in the Grand Valley and Glade Park tomorrow from a prescribed fire planned on Black Ridge in the Bureau of Land Management McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area west of Grand Junction.
Federal fire officials from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit will only ignite the fire if weather conditions allow for a safe, effective burn and good smoke dispersal.
The burn is part of a project to reduce the amount of fuel for wildfires, lower the potential of a larger wildfire burning from public lands onto private lands, and improve wildlife habitat. The prescribed fire will target 77 acres of dead and down slash that was created by earlier thinning projects.
A prescribed fire this time of year should burn much less intensely than a summer wildfire but will still be effective at reducing fuel loads in the area. The planned burn will also improve wildlife habitat by stimulating new, more nutritious plant production in the burned area.
A detailed prescribed fire plan has been developed and appropriate smoke permits have been obtained from the State of Colorado.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.