Fire managers at Rocky Mountain National Park plan to conduct a prescribed burn of up to 294 acres on Wednesday, Nov. 19, if conditions allow, according to a press release from the park.

Heavy and prolonged smoke is expected to come from the burn area, which is located west of Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and near Upper Beaver Meadows Road.

Due to the proximity of burn operations to U.S. Highway 36, a road closure from Deer Ridge Junction to Bear Lake Road Junction will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Beaver Meadows entrance and Bear Lake Road will remain open.

The project aims to reduce the threat of wildland fire to adjacent communities and park infrastructure by using prescribed fire to eliminate shrubs and other plant fuel, according to the release.

“With the anticipated weather this week, conditions are right to complete another section of the Front Country Prescribed Fire,” Nathan Hallam, a fuels specialist for Rocky Mountain National Park, said in the release. “Winds are expected to be enough to disperse smoke but not put containment lines at risk and precipitation later in the week will help extinguish any lingering heat after operations are complete.”

Firefighters will monitor the area during the prescribed burn, and smoke will be visible throughout the afternoon, with the potential for lingering and accumulating smoke in low-lying areas.  

For public safety reasons, park visitors will not be allowed to stop along U.S. Highway 36 near the burn area or walk within or near the burn area.

Additional information may be shared on InciWeb, on the park’s website and on Rocky Mountain National Park’s official social media accounts. 

Safety factors, weather conditions, air quality, personnel availability and environmental regulations are continually monitored as a part of any fire management operation. For more information, call the park’s information office at (970) 586-1206.