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RED FEATHER LAKES, Colo. (Oct. 18, 2023) – Firefighters on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District continue to monitor local conditions to resume operations on the Magic Feather Prescribed Burn near Red Feather Lakes as soon as Oct. 20, 2023. 

The burn is located east and southeast of Red Feather Lakes. Expect to see increased activity while firefighters are prepping and burning within the project area. A forest closure remains in place south of County Road 74e (Red Feather Lakes Road), including Lady Moon and Elkhorn Creek Trailheads. The Mount Margaret Trailhead remains open. 

Earlier this month fire personnel successfully treated 470 acres. Resources plan to light interior ignitions on Unit 6. Appropriate, localized conditions must be met before ignitions can take place. Weather is monitored throughout the burn and burning is halted if conditions fall outside of the required conditions.

People in the surrounding area should expect to see smoke when operations are taking place. Smoke may also impact those using the Dowdy Lake Campgrounds and Day-Use Area. Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information about the potential health impacts of smoke, visit Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. 

This prescribed burn is part of the overall strategy on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests to address the Wildfire Crisis. Even with the most thorough planning and preparation, the use of prescribed fire carries an innate level of risk that cannot be eliminated entirely. However, prescribed fire is one of the most efficient ways of reducing wildfire risk. Regularly conducting prescribed fires, which mimic nature, reduces the buildup of flammable vegetation and overgrowth.

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