U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel will begin slash pile burning operations on Medicine Bow and Routt National Forest land in the coming weeks.

According to a Forest Service news release, those using the national forest land should expect to see smoke as a result of the work.

“Piles may be burned near communities, travel routes and popular recreation areas,” according to the news release, which adds that “the burning of highly visible piles will be advertised closer to ignition.”

Current and forecasted snow conditions allow for the majority of pile burning work to be accomplished in the fall and winter season but both pile burning and prescribed fires may occur throughout the year as conditions allow.

The U.S. Forest Service advertises site-specific burning notifications on social media accounts and on-the-ground signage is placed on adjacent roads where the work occurs.

The piles set to be burned are the result of recent management projects undertaken on Medicine Bow and Routt National Forest land to reduce hazardous fuels generated from the bark beetle epidemic.

The fuels remaining in those areas are typically gathered into piles either with machines or by hand; or they are scattered across the area to reduce fire hazards.

Each prescribed burn planned by the Forest Service is approved through an environmental analysis and with a detailed burn plan developed in advance.

“Burns are only initiated within established parameters for safe, effective fires. Snow cover, precipitation, and available firefighter staffing are all considered before burning,” according to the news release. “Predicted weather needs to allow for safe burning and the elimination of any threat of fire spreading to surrounding vegetation.”

The news release also notes that smoke created by the burn work “is closely monitored to ensure that conditions for smoke dispersal” are met in order to reduce the likelihood of the smoke impacting public health.

For more information, go to fs.usda.gov.