MONOTROSE, Colo. - The Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office plans to conduct prescribed fires on public lands along Government Springs Road south of Montrose this week or when conditions warrant.
The 200-acre Sims Mesa Prescribed Fire is planned to improve big game habitat and maintain ecosystem health by reducing hazardous fuels, thereby reducing wildfire risks in the area. A detailed burn plan outlines the parameters for prescribed burns.
“Public safety is critical and we will move forward only if conditions are ideal for a safe and effective burn project," said BLM Fire Management Specialist Rusty Stark.
This prescribed fires may take several days to complete once initiated, and will be monitored throughout the process to ensure public safety. While smoke may be visible, most of the smoke will lift and dissipate during the warmest parts of the day.
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, visit https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
For information on wildfires and restrictions in the area, call the Southwest Colorado Fire and Aviation Management Information line at 970-240-1070, visit the Montrose Interagency Dispatch online at https://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2mtc, or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWD_Fire and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BLMMontroseFireUnit.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
