For The Journal
The Dolores Ranger District plans to burn slash piles in the Chicken Creek area of the San Juan National Forest, as weather and smoke dispersion allows, beginning as early as Jan. 25. About 30 slash piles remaining from an old timber sale will be burned to reduce fuel loading. The area is about 5 miles north of Mancos near the intersection of County Road 41 with Forest Service Road 385.
This includes piles located within the Chicken Creek Cross Country Ski Area. During pile burning operations a short segment of the Lower Bauer Ski Loop will be temporarily closed; however this will not affect access to the rest of the trails in the area, and a bypass trail exists to the west of the pile burning area. To complete the project, piles directly adjacent to the ski trail will be burned in late February.
Operations typically take place over several days after snowfall. Firefighters will ignite and closely monitor pile-burning activities. For more information, contact the Dolores District Office at 970-882-7296.
