Firefighters planning prescribed burn on BLM land in Eagle County
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SILT, Colo. – Firefighters from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Unit are planning to ignite a prescribed fire on Bureau of Land Management lands four miles northwest of Gypsum in Eagle County as early as Wednesday, Sept. 28.
The objectives of the 180-acre Sheep Gulch Prescribed Fire are to reduce the risk of larger wildfires burning into adjacent private lands by reducing hazardous fuels, to improve wildlife habitat in the area by increasing age and sizes of vegetation, and to reduce pinon-juniper expansion to help restore sagebrush communities in the area.
Smoke may be seen from the Eagle River corridor and the Town of Gypsum.
“We will only ignite these prescribed fires if conditions are ideal for safe, effective burns, as well as for good smoke dispersal away from area communities,” said Chad Sewell, fuels specialist for the Bureau of Land Management Colorado River Valley Field Office.
Fire managers have developed a detailed prescribed fire plan and obtained smoke permits from the State of Colorado for the planned burn.
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
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.