Prescribed fire planned at Rio Blanco County’s Aldrich Lakes this spring

RBC | Fire managers from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit are closely monitoring conditions as they plan several prescribed fires on federal lands Eagle, Mesa, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties in the coming weeks.

Prescribed fires are carefully planned burns to reduce dense vegetation and other fuels, which helps lower the risk of large wildfires and stimulates new vegetation growth that benefits wildlife.

“We closely monitor weather and fuels prior to burning, and we will only ignite these prescribed fires if conditions are good for a safe, effective burn,” said Lathan Johnson, UCR Assistant Fire Management Officer. “We are also watching weather conditions for optimal smoke dispersal to minimize impacts to nearby communities.”

Smoke may be seen from nearby communities and roads. Smoke should dissipate during the day but may remain on the valley floors as temperatures drop.

Fire managers are planning the following burns this spring on White River National Forest and Bureau of Land Management administered lands if conditions allow:

• Avalanche Creek Prescribed Fire, Aspen-Sopris Ranger District (Pitkin County): Seven miles south of Carbondale, up to 500 acres.
• Braderich Creek Prescribed Fire, Aspen-Sopris Ranger District (Pitkin County): one mile west of Redstone, up to 2,000 acres.
• Collins Creek Prescribed Fire, Aspen-Sopris Ranger District (Pitkin County): Seven miles north of Aspen, up to 1,500 acres
• Muddy Sheep Prescribed Fire, Eagle Holy Cross Ranger District (Eagle County): five miles north of Edwards, up to 2,000 acres.
• Cottonwood Creek Prescribed Fire, BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office (Eagle County): four miles north of Eagle, up to 460 acres
• Farmers Canyon Prescribed Fire, BLM Grand Junction Field Office (Mesa County): 18 miles south of Grand Junction, up to 70 acres.
• Palisade Watershed Prescribed Fire, BLM Grand Junction Field Office (Mesa County): four miles southeast of Palisade, up to 410 acres.
• Aldrich Lakes Prescribed Fire, Blanco Ranger District (Rio Blanco County): 14 miles northeast of Meeker, up to 3,000 acres
  

Fire managers have developed a detailed prescribed fire plan and obtained smoke permits from the State of Colorado for each planned burn. Please contact Lathan Johnson at 970-257-4819 for additional information. Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, visit: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.