U.S. Forest Service crews to burn slash piles in White River National Forest

RBC — The White River National Forest is preparing to burn piles in several areas throughout Eagle, Summit, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties.
This fall and winter, crews will concentrate efforts to burn slash piles that are a result of fuels reduction projects and the removal of beetle-killed lodgepole pine from recreation sites. Pile burning is dependent on environmental conditions. Weather permitting these projects will begin in mid November. In many cases, burning will only occur when there is enough snow cover to minimize the risk for fire escape.
Smoke and flames may be visible from various points in the four affected counties and some smoke may settle into lower elevations in the evening hours.
“We don’t expect a lot of impact to the surrounding areas,’ said East Zone Fuels Management Specialist Eric Rebitzke. The prescription for these burns calls for conditions that will provide for adequate smoke dispersal. As a result, smoke should be minimal. If conditions are not right, the burns will be postponed until spring.
If you have health problems that may be aggravated by smoke production, please contact Eric Rebitzke at (970) 328-6388 for areas in Eagle and Summit Counties or Lathan Johnson at (970) 625-2872 for areas in Pitkin or Rio Blanco counties, and you will be personally notified prior to any burning activities.