7 replies to this topic

[Aaron]

Fire managers from Rocky Mountain National Park plan to take advantage of any upcoming winter weather conditions to burn piles of slash from several forest thinning and hazard tree mitigation projects. Exclusion of fire for the past century has resulted in unnatural forest conditions in some areas, with significant accumulations of forest fuels and an increased risk of a wildfire. In addition, park crews have been cutting hazard trees caused by beetle killed trees. There is an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 piles park wide. If these are all burned, it will be roughly three times the amount of piles that are normally burned in a year.

Slash from these projects has been cut and piled by park fire crews and contractors during the last two years. Pile burning operations may began as early as October 24, and continue through March as weather permits. The piles, which are now dry enough to burn, are located in a variety of locations on both the east and west sides of the park. Locations include but are not limited to Bear Lake Road Corridor, Glacier Basin Campground, Sprague Lake, Moraine Park Campground, Deer Mountain, Highway 34 near Deer Ridge Junction, some areas along Trail Ridge Road, Lily Lake area, Wild Basin Road, along US Highway 34 from the park boundary to the Colorado River Trailhead, on the southern boundary of the park (north of the town of Grand Lake), Shadow Mountain, and other areas along Trail Ridge Road on the west side.

Safety factors, weather conditions, air quality and environmental regulations are continually monitored as a part of any fire management operation. For more information please contact the park's Information Office at 970-586-1206.

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[GLENNinPA]

When we were out there they had delays on Bear Lake Road near the last bend before Bear Lake Parking. They were cutting and piling. I was wondering why they were cutting healthy trees, at first I assumed they were beetle trees but they looked way to green. The piles were very close to the forest as well. I guess they will obviously wait for the right conditions to burn.

[DrCloud]

When we drove over to the west side (and then down to Fraser) at the beginning of August, there were 20-foot pyramids of slash lining the valley road. If they set all those ablaze, there will be a set of lights that will attract aircraft from all over the intermountain west: land here; lane here!

I kind of thought that a lot of that slash would have been salvaged by people with firewood permits, though, so maybe it won't be quite that bad. HPH

[Igloo Ed]

DrCloud, on 19 October 2011 - 05:02 PM, said:

When we drove over to the west side (and then down to Fraser) at the beginning of August, there were 20-foot pyramids of slash lining the valley road. If they set all those ablaze, there will be a set of lights that will attract aircraft from all over the intermountain west: land here; lane here!

I kind of thought that a lot of that slash would have been salvaged by people with firewood permits, though, so maybe it won't be quite that bad. HPH

Sounds like it won't be a good winter for taking pictures. Ah well.

[KarenSDR]

The orc-work on Bear Lake Road makes me really angry. We talked to a ranger, and he said the trees are not beetle-damaged. They're cutting them just in case there's ever a forest fire, to make a fire break. There are piles and piles lining the whole road. The ranger also said members of the public will not be allowed to have any of the wood for firewood. I don't know who's making some of the decisions in the park lately, but they sure have been some bad ones. They're also planning to move the lower part of the road away from the river and send it up over the hill to the right. Won't that make for a lovely drive.

[DrCloud]

Having driven the Bear Lake Road about 10 times in the past two weeks, I rather like how cutting the trees on either side of the road has opened up the views you see as you come up the valley. I can imagine how many people will watch their progress toward Hallett et al. and think "Holy smokes--we're heading up there?"

And the road work -- including its relocation -- will make the drive up to Bear Lake much safer. The existing stretch they're relocating is where they wind up pulling cars out of the creek every year -- including, as I recall, one with a dead body in it this year. HPH

[HighPlainsMedic]

For those that are not familiar with the forests along the front range.. if they don't do such things it will be the perfect storm of fire. Years of mismanagement of the forest.. Putting out every fire.. has set the forest up to be a conflagration of unprecedented proportions. The deep lodge pole pine forest is what dad used to call a terminal forest the eco system is so narrow few creatures or other plant life can live there. It will die either as a result of disease or by fire. That is the cycle, we can't change it but it can be managed, to not manage it invites disaster.

We remember the Hayman fire and fires in the Boulder Canyon. All it will take is a winter like we are experiencing now, then later in the summer, 100 degree temperatures, 40 Mph winds and 17 percent humidity. The trees will literally explode. ( I was on the FD in Glen Haven and had my red card) The duff under the tree's is very deep, if this catches it will sterilize the soil. inhibiting growth for years.

The eco system in Yellowstone has recovered nicely, Elk populations are healthy as are the Bison. With that said, I am glad they have a plan, It may not be pretty initially but in the long term it will.

[Rhonda]

I know this is true and accept it, but like our new friend above, I hate to see healthy trees cut down. I guess I am a tree hugger at heart because dead trees just make me sad, and then to see healthy ones cut down....but to see a forest fire area makes me even sadder, so I can take comfort that this will at least deter that.