The U.S. Forest Service is set to start prescribed burns on federal lands in Jefferson County in the coming days in a bid to blunt wildfire risk, the agency said Friday.
The South Platte Ranger District plans to burn up to 536 acres of national forest lands near Green Mountain and Little Scraggy Peak in southern Jefferson County. The burns near Green Mountain are expected to start as early as next week, depending on weather and vegetation conditions, the agency said in a press release.
“Prescribed fire reduces woody debris, small trees, and shrubs on the forest floor,” the agency wrote. “Removing these hazardous fuels decreases the risk of extreme wildland fires.”
The work will unfold over the coming weeks, according to the release.
Fire and smoke from the burns may be visible for weeks after a burn. The area will be patrolled and monitored by Forest Service officials, and residents shouldn’t call 911 if they see smoke or fire nearby.
Additional information about the burns — including their exact start dates — will be released via thesocial media pages for the Pike-San Isabel National Forests and the Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands.
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