As conditions permit, U.S. Forest Service firefighters will continue slash pile burning on the Sulphur Ranger District next week, including the following areas:

  • Winter Park Fuels/Upper Fraser (2,500 hand piles) – Southwest of Fraser and Winter Park, Colo.
  • Keyser Creek Fuels (250 machine piles) – North and south of Keyser Creek
  • Jericho Road Fuels (700 hand piles) – Northwest of Granby Dam
  • Trail Creek Fuels North (5,000 hand piles) – 2.5 miles northwest of Fish Bay on Granby Lake
  • ANRA/Supply Creek Fuels/Kawuneeche Road North (20 machine piles and 1,000 hand piles) – 1.5 miles northwest of Columbine Lake, near Supply Creek Trailhead
  • Willow Creek Fuels East (500 hand piles) – East of Highway 125 near Kauffman Creek
  • Pass Creek (175 machine piles) – West and east of Highway 125 near Gravel Mountain
  • Blue Ridge (15,000 hand piles) – South of County Road 55 along Blue Ridge
  • Cabin Creek (3 machine piles) West of Highway 125 and FSR 112.

Smoke may be visible from Grand Lake, Winter Park, Granby, and the Colorado Highway 125 corridor.

Wind helps disperse smoke created during pile burning operations and snow helps keep the piles contained. Seeing flames and smoke, even after dark, is part of normal operations. This reduces fuels on the landscape under the safest conditions.

Conditions are evaluated each day to determine if ignition will take place. Ignitions are generally expected to begin after 10 a.m. and will cease several hours before sunset. Smoke may be visible. Precipitation, wind, temperature, fuel moisture, and staffing all play a part in when and whether ignition occurs. Firefighters monitor the area after burning is complete. Public and firefighter safety is always the number-one priority in burning operations.

For a complete list of locations where pile burning will occur this season, as well as updated accomplishments and photos, visit inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4648.