LAKE GEORGE, Colo., March 15, 2024 – The South Park Ranger District on the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands will implement the Cougar Divide Fuels Reduction Project in support of the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The specific area of this project is approximately 230 acres of National Forest lands along Forest Road 223 west of County Road 77, about seven miles north of Lake George in Park County, Colorado. The project is scheduled to begin the week of March 18 and is expected to last approximately two months.
The primary goal of the project is to reduce the intensity of fire behavior and increase the likelihood of successful fire suppression during critical conditions adjacent to private lands and along potential control lines. Another important goal is increasing the resistance to epidemic levels of mountain pine beetle and other pests. All thinning will be mechanized. Many of these areas will be prescribed burned in the future to reduce surface fuel loading and reduce fire intensity.
“This work will aid in reducing the intensity of fires and create healthier forest conditions across an important area of the district,” said South Park District Ranger Josh Voorhis. “Mechanical thinning sustains healthy forest ecosystems while also protecting the lives and properties located within our communities.”
Currently, all material including slash is planned for chipping and removal. Small areas of National Forest will not be accessible during actual operations.
For additional questions, please contact the South Park Ranger District at (719) 836-2031. Follow us on Facebook and X #LKGeoMitigation for the latest information.
