MONTROSE, Colo. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Uncompahgre Field Office plans to conduct prescribed burning of slash piles at several different locations this winter. The projects are to remove invasive species, including tamarisk and Russian olive, along the Gunnison and Dolores Rivers. The BLM will conduct the prescribed burns in the following locations as conditions allow.
* Cement Bridge -30 acres of slash piles twenty miles west of Naturita on Hwy. 141.
* Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area -11 acres of slash piles approximately eight miles west of Delta along the Gunnison River.
* Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area -10 acres of slash piles beginning approximately six miles downstream of the Escalante boat ramp on the Gunnison River.
“The goal is to restore native plant communities within the riparian zone and subsequently reduce hazardous fuels which pose a wildfire risk," said BLM Fire Management Specialist Rusty Stark.
The prescribed pile burning may take multiple days to complete. The BLM will monitor the burn throughout the process to ensure public safety. Smoke may be visible in the area at times, but will lift and dissipate during the warmest parts of the day.
“The burn plan for this project includes specific weather and air quality criteria that must be met to help ensure control of the burn and minimize the potential smoke impacts to local communities," said Stark.
The Colorado State Air Pollution Control Division granted the BLM a smoke permit, which identifies the conditions required for the BLM to implement the prescribed burns. Smoke from the prescribed burn may affect your health. For more information, visit https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
For information on wildfires, prescribed burns and fire restrictions in the area, call the Southwest Colorado Fire and Aviation Management Unit Fire Information line (970-240-1070), visit the Montrose Interagency Dispatch website, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
-BLM-
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
