Willow Piles: Fire Crews Plan Ignitions on Tuesday

The Willow Piles Prescribed Fire burn boss plans to continue ignitions on Tue., Feb. 28, if forecasted weather conditions hold steady. Recent storms added more snow to the area and predicted winds are optimal to loft and disperse smoke from the burn location.

Piles from 150 acres of forest thinning remain on site. Once treated, the 500-acre project for this winter will be completed. Piles from the other 350 acres of forest thinning were treated on Feb. 9. Once the ignition phase is completed, the entire project will be in monitor and patrol status.

The Willow Piles Prescribed Fire project is located on the Tres Piedras Ranger District of the Carson National Forest. The site is about 10 miles west of Tres Piedras, NM, and about a mile east of Hopewell Lake. Piles from 95 acres of thinning were burned last year. More area piles will be treated in future years.