Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County Parks & Open Space and the Sheriff’s Office Fire Management Program plan to conduct burns as conditions allow this winter. The window for operations will be open until April 15.

Burn projects depend on ideal weather conditions, including relative humidity, fuel moisture, and wind. Projects will only proceed when conditions are suitable. Fire managers will monitor all projects until they are called out.

Prescribed burns may require closures depending on location. Closures will be announced individually as needed.

Forest Prescribed Burning

Forest prescribed fires reduce woody debris on the forest floor and re-establish the historic processes that the forests evolved with over time. The return of these processes will reduce the potential for uncharacteristic wildfire, improves ecosystems and improves public safety. Burns can occur any time during a set burn window. Notifications will be sent when forest prescribed burns require park closures. For additional information, updates, and to sign up for email or text notifications, please visit boco.org/PrescribedBurns.

Forest burn planned locations:

• Hall Ranch - west of Lyons. Burn window set for Oct. 13 through Dec. 20.

Slash Pile Burning

Slash pile burns are conducted to reduce the amount of fuel resulting from forestry operations. Operations will only occur when there is sufficient snow cover to ensure safe fire operations and containment:

Slash pile burn planned locations:

• Hall Ranch - west of Lyons
• Overland - northwest of Jamestown
• Riverside Ranch - south of Ralph Price Reservoir
• Reynolds Ranch - southeast of Nederland
• Sherwood Gulch - north of Nederland

Agriculture Field and Irrigation Ditch Burning

Agriculture burning is done to remove vegetation to control weeds, improve nutrient cycling, and prepare areas for reseeding. Irrigation ditches are burned to remove unwanted vegetation and debris for improved water delivery.

Agriculture field planned locations:

• Cattails 1 - Bush, Coal Creek Dr, Superior (Cattails 2 and 3 completed Oct. 9)
• Research 2 - Cohig, Coal Creek Dr, Superior (Research 1 completed Oct. 9)
• Cush - Cushman, 75th St. and Woodlawn, Longmont
• Fairgrounds - Boston Ave. and Hoover St., Longmont
• Marfell Lakes - Arapahoe Rd. and 119th St., Lafayette/Erie
• Wambsganss - Niwot Rd. and E. County Line Rd., Erie
• Wheel - Wheeler property, Hwy 52. and E. County Line Rd., Longmont/Erie

Agriculture irrigation ditch planned locations

• Cottonwood - Hwy 66 and N. 66th St., Hygiene
• Gaynor Lake - Hwy 287 and Mooring Rd., Longmont
• Lagerman - N 67th St. and Pike Rd., Longmont
• Wittemyer Ponds - Hwy 52. and E. County Line Rd., Longmont

Smoke and flames may be visible during prescribed burns and for several days, or even weeks, afterward. The area will be continuously monitored to ensure fires are completely out. Residents are asked to NOT call 911 since a prescribed burn is not an emergency.

Smoke from prescribed fires may affect health. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment Wood Smoke and Health webpage provides tips to address health concerns related to indoor burning, prescribed fires, and open burns.

Learn more about Boulder County prescribed burns at boco.org/PrescribedBurns and please direct any questions to PrescribedFire@bouldercounty.gov.

Sign up to be notified by email and/or text of upcoming prescribed burns. Notifications and corresponding park closures will be sent at least 24 hours prior to ignition. Updates will be sent out as conditions warrant.

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