MONTE VISTA — Firefighters from the Bureau of Land Management-Rocky Mountain District Fire and the Rio Grande National Forest will be conducting a prescribed burn approximately 17 miles west of Saguache on Thursday and Friday, May 13 and 14.  

The burn will treat a total of approximately 549 acres — 297 acres of BLM land and 252 acres of US Forest Service land — to reduce accumulated fuels and improve resiliency of the timber stand. The prescribed burn is expected to take two days. Crews will remain in the area through the weekend to monitor the burn and take containment actions as necessary. 

Smoke may be visible in the area both during and after the burn operations. Smoke will be most visible during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas. 

A public information phone line and an Inciweb webpage have been established for the public and media to get updates on the prescribed burn. Information is also available through the @BLMcoloradoFire Facebook page.