The Columbine Ranger District plans to conduct prescribed burns beginning Saturday, Sept. 19 and continuing through the following week, in the Yellow Jacket and the First Notch areas of the San Juan National Forest east of Bayfield. Crews worked this summer to widen past control lines that had become overgrown to help safely keep burning operations within determined boundaries. These fall burns will reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfires in these areas, and increase forage on big-game winter range.

Preliminary work on the burn will start this weekend, aerial ignitions by helicopter should happen probably by Tuesday, according to Ann Bond of the U.S. Forest Service.

"That's when there will be the most smoke visible," she said. Ground crews at the site will include local firefighters, two hotshot crews and five engines.

Yellow Jacket prescribed burn

This planned prescribed fire encompasses 2,539 acres within two burn units, which will be ignited and monitored by trained firefighters using both ground and aerial ignition methods. Weather and fuel parameters stated in the prescribed fire plan will be followed. Daytime smoke is expected is expected move into the atmosphere to the north and east into the Piedra River drainage, while nighttime smoke is projected to settle in the Beaver and Sauls Creek drainages. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings following burning operations, and should lift dissipate by mid-day.

First Notch prescribed burn

This planned prescribed fire encompasses 1,336 acres within four burn units. Daytime smoke is expected to loft into the atmosphere to the north/northeast, with smoke impacts during the day predicted to be minimal. Nighttime smoke will settle in the Piedra River drainage, with heavier smoke in the mornings, lifting and dissipating by mid-day.

For more information, contact the Columbine Ranger District Office at 884-2512.