BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — If you are seeing large plumes of smoke near Rocky Flats, it’s not an out-of-control forest fire, it’s a prescribed burn just west of Gross Reservoir.
The Forsythe Prescribed Burn Project was ignited Sunday and is conducted by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Before they started anything on fire, crews completed a test and determined that conditions were good for a controlled burn.
Smoke was notably visible in the Gross Reservoir area as well as along the Front Range.
The Forest Service said air quality was carefully monitored before and during a prescribed fire and all prescribed burns comply with state air quality regulations to minimize impacts to communities.
Ignitions were completed after 70 acres were treated, according to the USFS. Firefighters remain in the area to monitor the burn's perimeter.
The USFS said smoke and some flames inside the perimeter may be visible through the night and into Monday.
Ignitions are not planned for the next several days.
Email notifications will be sent out periodically during ignition periods. To receive updates, make sure to join this email list and select "Forest Health & Fire: North of Hwy 72 (Coal Creek Canyon) to Hwy 119 Boulder Canyon (Nederland and Magnolia areas)."
