Land managers and firefighters sparked a prescribed burn today in southern Douglas County in Bayou Gulch Park.
The controlled burn, aimed at improving wildlands and wildlife habitat, occurred this morning, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Bayou Gulch is east of Ponderosa High School, and smoke was visible in the area during the burn.
A fire-management team was on hand to oversee the controlled burn, mitigate smoke and to call off the exercise if needed.
Several local fire departments, the Colorado State Forest Service and the Douglas County Office of Emergency Management were among the agencies involved in the project.
Officials say the burn also helped mitigate fire fuels and allowed firefighters to train for wildland fires.
Prescribed burns will take place this month in Jefferson and Boulder counties as well, officials said.
At Staunton State Park, west of Conifer, about 44 acres in two stands of ponderosa pine will be burned later this month and next month to mitigate wildland-fire fuels and improve the long-term health of the forest, according to a media release from Colorado State Parks.
Smoke from Staunton, which is not yet open to the public, may be visible to motorists on U.S. 285 and to residents of the Conifer and Pine Junction areas. Specific dates and times for the Staunton burns were not released.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
