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Pile Burning for 2023-2024

Fuels reduction programs involve mechanical or hand thinning projects, removing trees to reduce forest density and improve forest health. While larger logs are removed for use, unmarketable limbs, saplings, and brush are piled up for burning. Hand piles result from crews using chainsaws to thin the forest and then piling the material; machine piles result from using logging equipment and primarily consist of tree limbs left behind after marketable material is removed.

Piles are only ignited when fuels managers are confident that the project can be undertaken safely and successfully. Snow cover, fuel moisture, precipitation, wind, temperature, and available firefighter staffing are all considered before beginning a pile burn.

Smoke, flames, and glowing embers are often visible, and are a normal part of pile burning operations. Mild fire behavior between piles is expected and is also beneficial for future wildfire risk reduction. This can include forest litter between piles and lower limbs of trees. Moisture, namely snow, helps contain the piles and firefighters monitor the area during and after the burn. Monitoring continues until the piles are considered out. Public and firefighter safety is always the number-one priority in burning operations. 

To view all prescribed fire projects across the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, check out our new interactive map. Zoom into the location you are interested in, click on a prescribed burn unit and learn more about its status. 

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health; for more information see http://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health/.

To receive updates, join our email list. Have questions? Email ARPFireInfo@usda.gov. ​​
 
Areas on the Sulphur Ranger District (Grand County) with hand and machine piles ready for burning: 

• Fair: 15,000 hand piles, 10 machine piles General Location: East of Tabernash along Water Board Rd (FSR 128) 
• Snow Mountain: 20 machine piles General Location: West of Snow Mountain Ranch
• Little HO:  20 machine piles General Location: 6mi east of Granby
• Upper Fraser: 1,000 hand piles General Location: Northwest of Winter Park near Elk Creek Rd
• Big Blue Ridge Machine: 50 machine piles General Location: South of CR55 along the top of Blue Ridge
• Blue Ridge Unit 15: 50 hand piles General Location: West of CR 50 at the Horseshoe Trailhead
• Kawland Unit 90: 20 machine piles, 400 hand piles General Location: Between Vasquez and East Elk Creeks on FSR 159, West of Winter Park Resort
• Bottle Pass: 100 hand piles General Location: Bottle Pass between Ptarmigan and Bottle Peak

Areas on the Clear Creek Ranger District (Clear Creek County) with hand piles ready for burning: 

TBD

Areas on the Boulder Ranger District (Gilpin and Boulder Counties) with hand and machine piles ready for burning: 

TBD

Areas on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District (Larimer County) with hand and machine piles ready for burning:  

TBD