Possible Burns at Heil Valley Ranch and Hall Ranch Open Space

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County Parks & Open Space and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Wildland Fire Management Program may conduct a prescribed burn at Heil Valley Ranch and/or Hall Ranch sometime between Monday, Feb. 13 and Friday, Feb. 24.

The burns could take place any day in the defined burn window. Updates will be posted to the www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/burns website and sent to the email list.

Heil Valley Ranch and Hall Ranch will be closed during active ignition days. The parks will reopen as soon as it’s deemed safe to do so by fire personnel.

To determine if conditions are suitable for ignitions, fire managers assess fuel moisture levels and continuously monitor current and projected weather forecasts. Weather considerations include wind, temperature, relative humidity and air quality. Conditions have to meet certain criteria in order for the prescribed burn to proceed. Fire personnel will stop burning if weather conditions change and don’t allow for a safe operation. Weather and safety conditions are monitored constantly.

Firefighting resources will completely surround the area during the duration of each prescribed burn, and will remain onsite until the fire is confirmed as being controlled by significant weather conditions or determined to be out.

The interior of these prescribed burns will continue to consume hazardous fuels for multiple days. Smoke will be visible during this time, including overnight. Smoke from prescribed fires may affect health. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment Wood Smoke and Health website and the Boulder County Public Health Wildfire Air Quality & Health website provide tips on how to protect health from smoke.

For more information and to sign up for update emails, go to www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/burns or contact Jay Stalnacker, Boulder County Sheriff's Office Fire Management Officer, at or 303-441-1481.