Monument prescribed fire aims to reduce fire risk

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Pike and San Isabel division announced on Tuesday, June 4 on X (formally known as Twitter) that the Pikes Peak Ranger District is expected to conduct a Monument prescribed fire as early as Tuesday, June 11.

The fire will take place on the grounds of the Monument Fire Center, west of Monument.

The prescribed fire’s target is to reduce the amount of pine needles, leaves, small branches, and oak brush as well as any woody debris left over from earlier stages of the project.

The planned project is 1000 acres broken into three different units to be treated one at a time. According to the USFS, low-elevation Ponderosa Pine ecosystems like those present west of Monument are estimated to have burned every 10 years.

Prescribed fire mimics the natural fire regime and reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

Additional about the fire will become available on X, and information will be posted using #MonumentFC_RC.

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