The White River National Forest is currently planning pile burning operations this fall and winter. The pile burning will only take place when there is adequate snow coverage and weather conditions are favorable.

Pile burning is expected to continue into the spring. Forest managers use pile burns as a way to reduce overgrown vegetation and help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.

The areas that are planned for pile burning include:

• Dillon Ranger District/Summit County: Keystone Gulch, 86 acres south of Keystone; Ruby Ranch, 86 acres north of Silverthorne; Peak 7, 22 acres near Breckenridge; Barton Gulch, 66 acres at Breckenridge; Ophir Mountain, 229 acres south of Frisco; Blue River West, 110 Acres adjacent to Highway 9 near the town of Blue River

Firefighters will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before specific pile burning begins. Scheduled operations may be canceled if conditions become unfavorable. Project-specific notifications will be issued on the Forest Service website and Facebook, and county emergency management officials will be notified when burning begins.