RANGELY I Smoke visible to the south of Rangely this week was the result of a plan by the Northwest Colorado Fire Management Unit to burn approximately 180 piles of pinyon/juniper slash accumulated during a thinning project.
Firefighters burned the piles on Bureau of Land Management-administered land 18 miles south of Rangely, Colo., adjacent to Rio Blanco County Road 23. The project was designed to reduce wildfire risk near oil and gas facilities to improve firefighter and public safety.
Each prescribed burn conducted by the Northwest Colorado Fire Management Unit has a detailed fire plan developed in advance, along with appropriate smoke permits obtained from the State of Colorado.