The Durango Fire Protection District will assist a private landowner with a controlled burn Monday on the south end of Missionary Ridge as part of a wildfire mitigation effort.

The burn, scheduled to start at 10 a.m., will remove debris and vegetation on the private property. Smoke will be visible from the city of Durango, the Florida River drainage and the Animas Valley.

“If residents see smoke in the area, please do not call dispatch because we will be on scene,” said Karola Hanks, the district’s fire marshal.

Smoke above the rockslide area on the east side of the Animas Valley north of Durango will remain visible until a winter storm rolls into the region Monday night. Some smoke may be visible Tuesday.

The fire district will continue to monitor the controlled burn. Neighbors have already been notified, and the landowner has a smoke management permit for the burn, Hanks said.

“We chose today because we have moisture coming in hopefully tonight and tomorrow, so that will help us extinguish (the fire) as the storm goes through,” she said.

smullane@durangoherald.com