Smoke visible from fire in Teller County

(TELLER COUNTY, Colo.) — The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is warning neighbors that smoke may be visible from a fire that burned in an area prone to fires due to debris and trash leftover from target shooting.

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the USFS said the Turkey Track 5 fire is approximately 100 acres in size, and is burning in an area that sees heavy use by people target shooting, about 7 miles northwest of Woodland Park. The USFS said the area was littered with “large amounts of trash and unspent ammunition” that made fighting the fire more hazardous for fire crews.

According to the USFS, this particular area sees five to ten fires annually due to the target shooting that occurs there, and as such, fire managers have built fire breaks to help protect the surrounding communities from fire.

While battling the Turkey Track Fire on Tuesday, the USFS said firefighters took the opportunity to utilize those existing fire breaks in the area to burn off the grass and various types of trash.

“This not only helps keep firefighters from having to make a direct attack on the fire amongst the hazardous debris, but it also clears the area of available vegetation/grass to prevent fires in the future further protecting the nearby communities,” said the USFS.

The USFS said favorable weather conditions as well as assistance from Northeast Teller County Fire, Douglas County, and Mountain Communities Volunteer Fire Department helped fire crews achieve a successful operation.

The USFS said neighbors in Teller County can expect to see smoke over the next several days as the interior fuels continue to burn. Firefighters will remain on scene Tuesday evening and into the following days to monitor the fire. Target shooters are warned that access to the area will be closed as firefighters continue to mop up.

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