Starting Thursday, Sept. 10, officials expect to ignite several prescribed burns east of Dove Creek, or as conditions allow.

The Bureau of Land Management's Tres Rios Field Office announced this week that the prescribed burns would treat 509 acres of ponderosa pine and Gambel oak on 20 separate units contained in the West Rim Pines Project, about seven miles east of Dove Creek.

Recent precipitation, cooler temperatures and below average fire danger have resulted in favorable conditions to conduct the prescribed burns, according to BLM officials.

The planned prescribed burns are part of a larger project to reduce hazardous fuels; protect wildland urban interface communities; improve big game habitat, sage grouse habitat, and range conditions; and reintroduce fire to a fire-adapted ecosystem and help restore healthy forests and species diversity.

BLM officials said they had obtained Colorado State Air Pollution Control Division smoke permits, which identify atmospheric conditions under which the burns can be implemented.

Anticipated to continue into the weekend, the prescribed burns will be monitored to ensure public safety.

While smoke may be visible at times, officials believe most of the smoke will dissipate.