Slash pile burns planned in area

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests have plans to burn "slash piles" in several areas. Forest fire management officials anticipate burning the piles in early December and continuing into January, as conditions warrant.

The following burns are planned in the area:

Raspberry Radio Repeater Site: Approximately 500 piles, located approximately 20 miles southwest of Montrose on the Uncompahgre Plateau. The piles are the result of chainsaw thinning that was performed at the site to help protect numerous radio antennas and other structures from potential fire damage, should wildland fire occur in the area.

Ward Lake Area: Approximately 300 piles, located approximately two miles east of the Grand Mesa Visitor Center along Forest Service Road 121. This project will reduce vegetation (fire fuels) that resulted from previous thinning of trees in the area and help mitigate potential fire damage to structures in the area, should wildland fire occur.

A burn plan has been prepared and approved and specifies staffing, weather and other conditions that are required to light the piles. The plan also calls for conditions that are wet enough and/or when snow is present to prevent fire from creeping along the ground. Likewise, smoke dispersal conditions of "Fair" or better will be required in order to minimize visual impacts in the area.

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