Prescribed Burn To Close South Boulder Trails Wednesday

BOULDER, CO -- The City of Boulder Fire-Rescue and the Open Space and Mountain Park Department are planning to conduct a prescribed burn on Open Space south of Boulder this Wednesday, according to a news release from the City. There is the possibility that additional burning will also occur Thursday, and the City will release public updates via its Twitter account throughout the project.

Ignitions are scheduled to begin after 10 a.m. and will end before 4 p.m. Boulder Fire-Rescue will supervise the planned burn, monitoring it at all times until it is safely extinguished. More than 50 firefighters and seven wildland fire engines will participate in the burn.

View a map of the burn area.

Depending on weather conditions, the city is planning to burn 17 acres. This area will be surrounded by firefighters, fire engines and fire hoses and water tanks, providing a constant water supply. According to the city, the prescribed burn is being conducted to help reduce fire danger for the community and to help improve open space forest ecosystem health.

The City reports that burning will only be conducted if and when weather and vegetation conditions are acceptable to assure the safety of the public and minimize the potential impacts of smoke. Boulder residents, motorists on highways in and out of Boulder and open space visitors will see smoke from this planned burn, and residual smoke may be seen for several days after the burn is completed. OSMP’s Shanahan-South Fork, the Bluestem Connector and the Big-Bluestem East trails open space trails will be closed while burning occurs.

Additional burns in the area could occur through Friday, May 31.

Tomorrow: a prescribed burn is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27, on open space south of the city. Smoke will be visible throughout the day.

More info: https://t.co/avUC3eCwYk pic.twitter.com/NPCnTyG6N8
— City of Boulder (@bouldercolorado) March 26, 2019