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(Delta, Colorado, April 7, 2026)—Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests are planning prescribed fire operations this spring, pending all required approvals. We estimate this work to continue through the summer as weather conditions allow. We use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires, while also supporting healthier, more resilient communities.
The listed fire projects are not presented in chronological order. Each prescribed fire will be implemented when weather patterns, fuel moisture levels, and on‑the‑ground conditions meet required operational criteria, and may occur at any point this spring or summer. Prescribed fires planned for the area include:
North Zone – Grand Valley and Paonia Ranger Districts
- Cow Creek Unit 2 – Located off Uranium (National Forest System Road #404) and Pine Mountain Roads (NFSR #405) roughly 11 miles east of Gateway, Colorado. The prescribed burn will cover approximately 5,000 acres.
- LaFair Units – Located 15 miles east of Gateway, Colorado. The prescribed burn will cover approximately 500 acres.
- Steamboat Rocks – Located on the Land’s End Road (NFSR #101) roughly 6 miles south of Grand Junction, Colorado, within Mesa County. The prescribed burn will cover approximately 500 acres.
West Zone – Norwood and Ouray Ranger District
- Turkey Plot – Located off Sanborn Park Road, roughly 14 miles northwest of Norwood, Colorado, within San Miguel County. The prescribed burn will cover approximately 450 acres.
- Sanborn – Located off Sanborn Park Road, roughly 4 miles northeast of Norwood, Colorado. The prescribed burn will cover approximately 850 acres.
- Baldy Mountain Project – Located in the Baldy Mountain area roughly 4 miles southeast of Ridgeway, Colorado. The prescribed burn will cover approximately 500 acres.
- 25 Mesa – Located on 25 Mesa Road (NFSR #503) roughly 25 miles west of Delta, Colorado. The prescribed burn will cover approximately 1,300 acres.
- Davewood – Located in the Davewood area along Lowe Spring Creek Road and NFSR #536 roughly 16 miles south-southwest of Montrose, Colorado. The prescribed burn will cover approximately 850 acres.
Those areas may close to the public for several days for public safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns.
Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burns. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road.
We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. Prescribed fire activities may be canceled if conditions needed to proceed are not met.
Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through the forest website, social media channels, and InciWeb, the interagency incident information system. 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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