Slash pile burns planned for Rio Grande State Wildlife Area
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Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW
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Crews will work to burn slash piles at the Rio Grande State Wildlife Area as conditions permit over the next few months.
MONTE VISTA, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife, in cooperation with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, will conduct slash pile burning operations in the Rio Grande State Wildlife Area during the winter months of 2022-23, as weather conditions permit.Slash piles have been created to remove debris and reduce hazardous fuel accumulation to help reduce the risk of larger wildfires. The piles are burned in areas where other means of disposal are not feasible.
Smoke may be visible in the area and could persist for several days as fuels burn themselves out. Crews will be on scene to monitor the progress throughout the process. The public is reminded not to call 911 or other emergency services if smoke is visible from the burn areas.
CPW works closely with agencies such as the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, Division of Fire Prevention and Control and local authorities in developing and implementing any burning project.
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. Additional information is available at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.
For more information, contact CPW District Wildlife Manager Tyler Cerny at 719-850-6363 or [email protected].
Rio Grande State Wildlife Area is a 935-acre property in Rio Grande County that offers good fishing and hunting opportunities. It is closed to public access Feb. 15 through July 15 to protect nesting and wintering bird populations.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.