San Juan National Forest begins pile burning
Favorable weather conditions in place for hazardous fuels reduction work
Contact Information: Lorena Williams 970-422-2939 lorena.williams@usda.gov
Durango, Colo., Nov. 18, 2026— San Juan National Forest is planning to ignite slash piles as early as the week of November 17th, pending all required approvals and when there is sufficient snow or rain present to prevent fire spread. Pile burning will continue as long as conditions allow, possibly through April 2026. Slash piles are generated from forest thinning and timber sales. Thinning projects improve forest health and wildlife habitat and reduce the risk of wildfire near private residences and other infrastructure. Thinning slash is piled and burned to remove the debris that would fuel wildfire. Pile burns planned for the area include:
Columbine Ranger District:
| Name | Location | Number of Piles & Acreage |
| Animas Overlook | Near Animas Overlook on Junction Creek Road (NFSR 171) | 160 piles, 7.5 acres |
| Junction Creek Road | MM 3 on Junction Creek Road (NFSR 171) | 32 piles, 15 acres |
| Ellington Lane | Near Old Timers’ Day Use area, southeast corner of Vallecito Reservoir (NFSR 603) | 100 piles, 4 acres |
| Falls Creek | South of Falls Creek Ranch subdivision (CR 205) | 380 piles, 34 acres |
| High Meadows | Northeast of Falls Creek Ranch subdivision (CR 205) | 30 piles, 26 acres |
| North Fosset Gulch | Near MM 1 on Fosset Gulch Road (NFSR 613) | 100 piles, 32 acres |
| South Fosset Gulch | Near MM 5.5 on Fosset Gulch Road (NFSR 613) | 15 piles, 1 acre |
Dolores Ranger District:
Smoke may be visible from Highway 184, Highway 145, and U.S. Route 491.
| Name | Location | Number of Piles & Acreage |
| Boggy Draw | Near NFSR 526.B in the Beaver Rim Gravel Pit | 4 piles, 14 acres |
| Salter | Northwest of Salter Y, near NFSR 514,512, 519, and 233 | 200 piles, 220 acres |
| Lake Canyon/Glade | Glade Canyon, near NFSR 504, 506, 508, 509, 512, 514, 517, 216, and 218. | 1,500 piles, 2,200 acres |
Pagosa Ranger District:
| Name | Location | Acreage |
| Buckles Lake Road | Piles from the Coyote Park Timber Sale adjacent to US Hwy 84 and NFSR 663 | 13 acres |
| Kenny Flat | Piles from Halfway Kenny Timber Sale adjacent to US HWY 84 and NFSR 006. | 128 acres |
| Valle Seco | Hand piles from thinning operations in Valle Seco. Boles of thinned trees were harvested for firewood by local residents. Adjacent to US HWY 84 and NFSR 653. | 26 acres |
| Mariposa | Piles from Mariposa Timber Sale, adjacent to NFSR 024, Porcupine Rd. | 439 acres |
| Gobbler | Piles from Gobbler Timber Sale, adjacent to NFSR 919 and FS Trails 307 and 303. | 178 acres |
| Lower Turkey | Hand piles from thinning operations NFSR 628. Boles of thinned trees were harvested for firewood by local residents. Adjacent to FSR 628. | 12 acres
|
| Huerto | Piles from Huerto Creek Timber Sale, adjacent to NFSR 631. | 183 acres |
No pile burning activities should affect public access or use of the forest. Watch for warning signs along roads near prescribed fire areas before and during burns.
Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burns. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road. Burning will only occur when all conditions of the state-issued smoke permit are met. Learn how smoke from wildfires, prescribed burns and pile burns may affect your health by visiting the Colorado Department of Public Health website: www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app.
We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled.
Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through InciWeb and the San Juan National Forest Facebook page. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
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