U.S. Forest Service firefighters plan to take advantage of existing and forecasted snow accumulation to burn slash piles in the Yankee Hill fuels project area, Units 64 and 65, located south of Apex Road, approximately two miles northwest of Columbine Campground in Gilpin County. Ignition may begin today and continue throughout the week as conditions allow.
Conditions are evaluated each day of the burn to determine if ignition will take place. Wind, fuel moisture, staffing and amount of snow cover all play a factor in where and whether ignition occurs.
Due to the topography of the area pile burning activities may be visible from Apex Road, Central City, Black Hawk, and the Peak-to-Peak Highway.
So far this winter, Boulder and Clear Creek Ranger District firefighters have completed 289 acres of burning in the West Magnolia, Yankee Hill, James Creek and Sugarloaf fuel treatment areas, including 3,529 (data corrected) hand piles and 158 machine piles.
To receive updates on pile burning activities in the Boulder Ranger District area visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/brdrxfire or contact Maribeth Pecotte at 303-541-2532.
