Slash Pile Burning Planned near Breckenridge in the Golden Horseshoe Recreation Management Area
Republished from our area wildfire management partners on October 21, 2022
Media/Public Information Contacts:
Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District: Matt Benedict (970) 389-7017
White River National Forest, Dillon Ranger District: David Boyd (970) 319-4895
DFPC Wildland Management Section: Tracy LeClair (970) 841-9230
Breckenridge, CO - The Dillon Ranger District, in cooperation with the Summit County Sheriff's Office, Red White & Blue Fire Protection District, Summit County Open Space and Trails, the Town of Breckenridge, Summit Fire & EMS, the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) will be conducting prescribed fire operations northeast of the Wellington Neighborhood. Burning may be conducted throughout the winter months beginning in November 2022.
Burn operations are expected to last several days as weather and conditions allow. Smoke will be visible from the Town of Breckenridge. Please do not call 911 to report smoke north of Breckenridge on the east side of Highway 9 during these dates. The obiective is to reduce hazardous fuels in and around the wildland-urban interface. This project is part of the Good Neighbor Authority program between the CSFS and United States Forest Service (USFS), and is made possible through the Summit County Strong Future Fund. The prescribed burn is the final phase of treatment in 90 acres managed by Summit County Open Space, the Town of Breckenridge, and USFS. Burning will only be conducted under specific guidelines and plans established by the USF and DFPC. This includes having acceptable weather and fuel conditions in order to meet the objectives for safe and effective burning and adequate smoke dispersal. Piles will be allowed to smolder overnight and fire personnel will monitor the project area in the days following the burn.
A public meeting for interested residents was held on October 27th at Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge, a video replay of this meeting is available by clicking here. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the project and visit with the fire managers who will be conducting the burn.
For additional information please visit https://www.summitcountyco.gov/1394/Wellington-Fuels-Reduction-Forest-Health
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For additional health-related information, visit https://cdphe.colorado.gov/indoor-air-quality/wood-smoke-and-health or contact your doctor or health professional. Smoke sensitive individuals can contact Jordan Mead at Jordan.mead@summitcountyco.gov for specific notification prior to burning operations on Summit County Lands. For this project, Purple Air will be used to monitor air quality, including downtown Breckenridge and in Wellington Neighborhood using a mobile sensor.
