Seeing smoke? Pile burns combat pine beetle outbreak near Breckenridge
DENVER (KDVR) — It may have been a little smoky in the Distillery Hill area of Breckenridge on Tuesday as crews worked to complete pile burns and remove dead timber killed by the last pine-beetle outbreak.
The burns are a collaboration between Summit Fire and EMS, the Breckenridge-based Red, White and Blue Fire agency, U.S. Forest Service, Summit County Open Space and Summit County Sheriff's Office, plus the county's environmental health department and some Americorps interns, all operating under Breckenridge's direction.
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The collaborative effort aims to rid the area of dead timber and 'hazardous fuels' that could contribute to forest fires.
'Because the wood has virtually no commercial value, burning it is the most efficient, most cost-effective way to clean up the forest,' Summit Fire and EMS posted on Facebook. 'The burn crew takes into account the minimum amount of snow on the ground to ensure that the fires don't spread outside the prescribed zone, as well as the day's weather conditions, paying particular attention to where the smoke is likely to go — hopefully up and away, to be diluted quickly.'
The group is burning around 350 piles of dead timber, according to the Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District. According to the Colorado State Forest Service, mountain pine beetles are native to western North America. Infested trees' needles will typically turn a 'rust' color and begin dropping branches. Boring dust can also be found in bark crevices and on the ground next to the tree base for further evidence of the insects.
'We can't stress the importance of treatments like this in protecting our communities from the risks related to wildfires,' the fire protection district stated on Facebook.
The agency also reminded residents to focus on the first five feet surrounding their homes. The first step is to clear any dead material from your lot, and tell neighbors.
The agency also has a Wildfire and Community Preparedness Division that can be consulted on home safety, and provide free tools on loan to get the job done. Email mitigation@rwbfire.org for more information.
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