The San Juan National Forest has announced plans to burn slash piles in the Dolores Ranger District. Conditions are becoming favorable with recent snowfall in southwest Colorado.
The service says the piles were created from forest thinning and timber sales in the area. Burns are always monitored by firefighters and take place after snowfall to minimize the risk of fire spread.
Matthew Traynham of the Dolores Ranger District says a burn in the Taylor Mesa area is scheduled to be first. Other burns will begin as the weather allows.
Burns will take place in the following locations:
- Chicken Creek area near Forest Service Road 385, seven miles north of Mancos and two miles northeast of Joe Moore Reservoir. Additional piles may be burned along FSR 693 near the reservoir.
- Haycamp Mesa area near FSR 556 and 556.D, south of Beef Pasture Reservoir.
- Lake Canyon Area at FSR 504 and 505, 10 miles east of Dove Creek near Big Water Spring. Also at FSR 509 near Glade Point and FSR 506 near Cow Canyon.
- Spring Creek area near FSR 327 and 382, 12 miles north of Mancos.
- Taylor Mesa area near FSR 547 and Fox Den Creek, eight miles northeast of the Dolores and West Dolores river confluence.
Smoke may be visible along highways 184, 145 and 491. Questions about the burns can be directed to the Dolores Ranger District Office at 970-882-6838.