A large pile of oak and sagebrush limbs and branches has been generated through maintenance of campgrounds and other facilities at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Park staff, with the assistance of Montrose Interagency Dispatch Center, plan to ignite the slash pile sometime this winter or early spring, when conditions are conducive to safety and resource protection. Burning the pile will reduce the threat of wildfire in the future by removing hazard fuels, remove a visual blemish from the viewshed and clear space for other management needs.
Superintendent Connie Rudd said, "The burning will be done under only those conditions that provide for safety and assure control from spreading." The burn will be closely monitored by wildfire professionals.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
