Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County Parks & Open Space and the Sheriff’s Office Fire Management Program plan to conduct burns as conditions allow this fall, winter, and spring. The window for operations will be open until May 31.

Burn projects depend on 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.

First Burn is Planned for Tomorrow

Prescribed fire operations will begin west of Lagerman Reservoir tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 16, if conditions allow. There are no property or trail closures planned. The purpose of the operation is to remove vegetation from a ditch on the west side of the reservoir to improve water conveyance. Operations should begin by 11 a.m. and will last for a few hours. Please reach out to prescribedfire@bouldercounty.gov with any questions.

Upcoming 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:

• Wheeler — Highway 52 and East County Line Road, Erie
• Cushman — 75th Street and Woodlawn, Longmont
• Fairgrounds — Boston Avenue and Hover Street, Longmont
• Marfell Lakes — Arapahoe Road and 119th Street, Lafayette
• Wambsganss — Niwot Road and East County Line Road, Erie

Agriculture irrigation ditch planned locations

• Wittemyer Ponds — Highway 52 and East County Line Road, Erie
• Jim Henry — 115th Street and Oxford Road, Longmont
• Leggett — Between Highway 287, Niwot Road, Prospect Road, and East County Line Road, Longmont
• Faul and Kraugh — 115th Street between Vermillion Road and Wasatch Road, Longmont
• Josephine Roche — 1188 119th St., Lafayette
• Cottonwood — Highway 66 and North 66th Street, Hygiene
• Gaynor Lake — Highway 287 and Mooring Road, Longmont
• Lagerman — North 67th Street and Pike Road, Longmont (Scheduled for tomorrow, Sept. 16)

Smoke and flames will be visible during operations. 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.

Health Impacts

Smoke from prescribed fires may affect your 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.

Informational Video

Watch the Planning Fire Management Prescribed Burns video and hear fire management officers talk about what goes into planning a prescribed burn, including the safety measures and environmental factors that must be met before a prescribed fire can take place.

Learn More and Sign Up

Learn more about Boulder County prescribed burns at boco.org/PrescribedBurns and 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 when possible. Updates will be sent out as conditions warrant.

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