The U.S. Forest Service said they have burned more slash piles this fall and winter than in recent years, reducing the chances of damaging fires in northern Colorado.
In all, crews burned more than 17,600 slash piles since November. Slash piles are mostly limbs and small trees left behind by crews cutting thick forest as part of fire-reduction efforts, said Reghan Cloudman, spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service.
The slash left over from cutting is piled and left to dry for a year or more. Once snow starts to fall, firefighters can light the piles to remove any remaining fire danger.
Before any piles are ignited, firefighters confirm all the necessary conditions are right for burning, Cloudman said.
This year, a combination of weather, number of piles available, location of piles and amount of snowpack in those areas allowed crews to burn more than in recent years, she said.
Piles this year covered about 1,500 acres and were primarily located south of Estes Park, part of the Estes Valley Fuels Reduction Project area, and south/southeast of Red Feather Lakes, part of the Lonetree and Pingree Hills Fuels Reduction Projects.
Unless those areas get more snow fall, pile burning is likely over for the season, Cloudman said.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
