Next week, September 25-27, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Wildland Fire Group will be assisting the U.S. Forest Service with a controlled Ensign Gulch burn operation near Rampart Range Road and Forest Service Road 314. This prescribed burn will cover nearly 400 acres and is aimed at reducing forest fire fuel around the reservoir/ water storage facilities.

Smoke will likely be visible to the surrounding and distant communities including but not limited to, El Paso County, Teller County, Pueblo County, Fremont County, Park County, and Douglas County.

Crews will be on scene, facilitating safe fire operations. Sheriff Joe Roybal asks members of the public to avoid calling 9 11 if they see smoke near the area of the operation unless they encounter additional indicators, such as seeing active (unsupervised) flames, necessitating a response.

This burn operation is part of a larger effort and represents an initial phase of wildland fire maintenance.  The operation will be conducted on National Forest lands located within El Paso County. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office will play an active role in incident management and in keeping the community apprised of any additional safety messaging.

If you are an outdoor enthusiast or have travel plans in the areas of the burn, expect significant travel delays and/ or road closures.  Due to the high level of activity in Rampart Range Road and Forest Service Road 314, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office requests you limit travel in those areas.  If travel in those areas is necessary, please use extraordinary caution due to the number of wildland fire personnel in the area in vehicles and on foot.

Ignitions will take place only when weather and fuel conditions align with established prescriptions and when smoke impacts can be managed within guidelines.

For more information regarding the Ensign Gulch operation click here: Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands - Fire Management (usda.gov)