The Dolores Ranger District is planning to burn 2,700 acres in the Lake Canyon area 10 miles east of Dove Creek in Dolores County.

Operations are planned to begin Sunday and Monday; however, operation dates may be adjusted based on favorable weather conditions. The burn unit is adjacent to Forest Road 504, east along Forest Road 216 and west along Forest Road 509.

Aerial and ground ignition operations may take place over several days. Burning operations will be conducted by qualified fire management personnel and other fire resources from the San Juan National Forest and other federal resources.

The purpose is to reduce hazardous ground fuels, reduce the risk of unplanned catastrophic wildfire, restore ponderosa pine ecosystems and improve wildlife habitat.

The forest consists of ponderosa pine and gambel oak. Adjacent units have received previous mechanical fuels-reduction treatments. The Lake Canyon Area project is part of an overall fuels reduction project involving both mechanical treatment and prescribed fire, covering 15,000 acres.

Smoke will be visible from U.S. 491 between Dove Creek and Pleasant View and may settle overnight into those areas.

Ponderosa pine forests are a fire adapted ecosystem, which historically experienced frequent, low intensity fires on a large scale. Prescribed fire replicates that fire regime under controlled conditions. Prescribed fires will only be ignited when all weather, fuels and smoke requirements are met.

The Lake Canyon prescribed burn area is north of the 20-acre Doe Canyon Fire, which was started by lightning earlier this week.

For additional information, please contact the Dolores Ranger District 970-882-6838.

Lake Canyon prescribed burn (PDF)