Irrigation ditch burns scheduled for this winter and spring

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Burns to begin Wednesday, Dec. 12, if conditions allow.

Boulder County Fire Management Program will conduct irrigation ditch and agricultural burns on county open space lands this winter and spring as conditions allow.

Irrigation ditches are burned to remove unwanted vegetation for improving water conveyance, nutrient cycling, and planting success. Burn dates are contingent on ideal weather conditions, including relative humidity, fuel moisture, and wind.

Boulder County Parks & Open Space irrigation ditches and agricultural properties scheduled for controlled burns this year include:

• Jim Henry (N. 115th St. and Niwot Rd.)
• Table Mountain (N. 55th St. and Nelson Rd.)
• Gaynor Lake (N. 107th St. and Oxford Rd.)
• Wittemyer (N. 119th St. and Mineral Rd.)
• Gage (Crane Hollow Rd. and Hygiene Rd.)
• Pella Crossing (N. 75th St. and Hygiene Rd.)
• Mumford (N. 107th St. and Vermillion Rd.)
• Keyes North (N. 119th and Quicksilver Rd.)
• Lutz and Wambsganss (N. 119th St. and Niwot Rd.)
• Josephine Roche (N. 119th St. and Arapahoe Rd.)

Smoke and flames may be visible for up to 72 hours. There may be heavy smoke in the air. Please do not call 911 since a controlled burn is not an emergency. The areas will be monitored to ensure fires are completely out.

Smoke from prescribed fires may affect health. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment Wood Smoke and Health website and the Boulder County Public Health Wildfire Air Quality & Health website provide tips on how to protect health from smoke.

For additional information, contact Boulder County Parks & Open Space Senior Forester Stefan Reinold at 303-678-6202 or [email protected]. Updates will be posted to http://www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/burns.