News Release

March 28, 2019

Contact: David Boyd, BLM Public Affairs Specialist, 970-876-9008

Firefighters planning prescribed burns in Eagle, Grand and Moffat counties

this spring
CRAIG, Colo. – Fire managers from the Northwest Colorado Fire Management Unit are
planning to conduct prescribed fires on Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Parks and
Wildlife lands in the coming weeks when conditions warrant.

The prescribed fires are designed to reduce pinyon-juniper expansion and help restore sagebrush
and ponderosa pine communities. Prescribed fires reduce dense vegetation and other fuels to
lower the risk of large wildfires and stimulate new vegetation growth that benefits wildlife.

Fire managers are planning the following burns if conditions are favorable:

 In Eagle and Grand counties, the 350-acre Dry Gulch Prescribed Fire is planned on BLM
lands about 11 miles southwest of Kremmling along the Trough Road.
 In Eagle and Grand counties, the 100-acre Geico Prescribed Fire is planned in the same
general area as the Dry Gulch burn, but on Colorado Parks and Wildlife lands.
 In Grand County, the 350-acre Inspiration Prescribed Fire is planned on BLM lands about
10 miles southwest of Kremmling along the Trough Road.
 In Moffat County, the 500-acre Teepee Prescribed Fire is planned on BLM lands five
miles southeast of Greystone in the Douglas Mountain area.
 In Moffat County, the 5-acre Ferret Pile Prescribed Fire is planned on BLM lands in the
Browns Park area along BLM road 166.

“We will only ignite these prescribed fires if conditions are ideal for safe, effective burns, as well
as for good smoke dispersal away from area communities,” said Toni Toelle, Supervisory Fire
Management Specialist for the Northwest Colorado Interagency Fire Management Unit.

The BLM has been partnering with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation and other wildlife partners to improve big game winter range for elk, deer and
bighorn sheep within the project areas.
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 have developed a
detailed prescribed fire plan and obtained smoke permits from the State of Colorado for each
planned burn.

Please contact Toni Toelle at 970-761-0124 for additional information.

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, visit:
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
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