The Bureau of Land Management is preparing to conduct a prescribed burn in the Deer Haven area, approximately 15 miles northwest of Cañon City, south of High Park Road, and west of County Road 69 in northern Fremont County.
Approximately 107 acres of BLM land will be treated to reduce accumulated hazardous fuel and improve wildlife habitat. Targeted fuels include ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, decadent grasses and other ground fuel that has accumulated since previous treatments. Prescribed burns help preserve the health of forests and wildlife by removing materials that degrade habitats and contribute to the severity of wildfires. Fire treatments may take multiple days - or, sets of days - to complete. The prescribed burn will begin as soon as scheduling, weather, and fuel moisture conditions permit.
The project will create a mosaic of burned and unburned areas intended to reduce conifer encroachment in grass parks while improving forage for wildlife and domestic livestock. Prescribed fire also helps to create various stages of plant succession, which is critical to the health of fire-adapted ecosystems.
Smoke from the planned ignition will be visible throughout the day of the burn, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low lying areas. Firefighters will be on site throughout the day of ignition and will periodically patrol the burn for several days afterward.
According to the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, “Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
A new resource for tracking known wildfires is available from the National Interagency Fire Center. It can be found here: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/portfolio/index.html?appid=50b5c3f1da6749b0bc9f716998ca8810
For project specific information, contact Matthew Norden (719) 269-8583, Rocky Mountain District Deputy Fire Management Officer in Cañon City.
For media inquiries, contact Levi Spellman, the BLM Rocky Mountain District Public Affairs Specialist, at (719) 269-8553.
Source: Bureau of Land Management