BLM Plans Pile Burns Southeast of Powderhorn
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CAÑON CITY, Colo - The Bureau of Land Management is preparing to conduct pile burns on Gunnison Field Office lands this winter. The piles are located in Saguache County 13 miles southeast of Powderhorn, CO, near Cathedral.
Depending on weather and fuel moisture conditions, these pile burns are tentatively scheduled to occur in January 2020. The operation could occur as late as March 2020. With favorable conditions, this operation is expected to take four days.
The objective of the pile burn is to remove the slash left behind from previous hazardous fuels reduction treatments. These treatments remove fuels, reducing the risk of future catastrophic wildfire. Fuels treatments also help create various stages of plant succession, which is critical to the health of fire-adapted ecosystems.
As part of this operation, crews will burn approximately 50 machine-built piles consisting of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. The surrounding fuels are Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, aspen, and sage.
Smoke from the pile burns will be visible throughout the days 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.
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, please visit the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division’s website: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
For additional information, contact Brian Stevens, Fire Management Specialist for the BLM Southwest Colorado Fire and Aviation Management Unit, at (970) 642-4950.
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.