U.S. Wildland Fire Service Planning Prescribed Burns on BLM Lands
CAÑON CITY, Colo. — The U.S. Wildland Fire Service is preparing two prescribed burns, scheduled to take place between early October 2026 and April 2027. Both burns will be conducted on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s Royal Gorge Field Office. Prescribed burns help preserve the health of forests and wildlife by removing materials that contribute to the severity of wildfires. The annually scheduled burns will take place as weather and fuel moisture conditions permit.
The Deer Haven area is slated for a prescribed burn approximately 15 miles northwest of Cañon City, south of High Park Road, and west of County Road 69 in northern Fremont County. The Deer Haven prescribed burn will consist of up to four units, totaling approximately 600 to 700 acres.
Another prescribed burn is planned on the north side of Waugh Mountain, approximately 26 miles northwest of Cañon City, 20 miles northeast of Salida, and two miles south of Fremont County Road 2. The North Waugh prescribed fire will consist of one to three units, totaling 250 acres. Targeted fuels in both projects include ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, mixed-conifer, slash, decadent grass, logging and hazardous fuels slash, and other ground fuel that has accumulated since previous treatments.
Together, these projects will result in burned and unburned areas that will reduce hazardous fuels, improve wildlife habitat, and support domestic livestock grazing – all of which are critical to the health of the lands we enjoy.
Smoke from the prescribed burns will be visible throughout the day of the burn, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas. Firefighters will be on site throughout the day of ignition and will periodically patrol the burns for several days afterward.
Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, please visit the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division’s website.
For general information, contact Matthew Norden, USWFS Arkansas River Unit Fire Chief at (719) 269-8583.
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.