Rocky Mountain National Park Continues Prescribed Burn Operations in Front Country Area
Rocky Mountain National Park crews resumed prescribed fire operations November 19 with approximately 50 firefighters conducting controlled burns west of Beaver Meadows Visitor Center as part of ongoing wildfire risk reduction efforts that aim to protect adjacent communities and park infrastructure.
Weather conditions and favorable fuel moisture allowed fire managers to continue ignition operations that began in recent weeks as part of the Front Country Prescribed Fire program. The burns target a 294-acre treatment area along Upper Beaver Meadows Road designed to reduce hazardous vegetation buildup and create defensible buffer zones.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office alerted residents to expect visible smoke and fire personnel throughout the day.
Road Closures and Traffic Restrictions in Effect
U.S. Highway 36/Trail Ridge Road inside the park remained open to westbound traffic only from Beaver Meadows Visitor Center to Bear Lake Road Junction on November 19. Park officials directed motorists to use Fall River Entrance via U.S. Highway 34 when entering and exiting the east side of the park.
Visitors were advised to exercise caution when driving on U.S. Highway 36 between Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and Bear Lake Road due to smoke, reduced visibility and fire crews working along the roadway. Smoke impacts east of Beaver Meadows Entrance Station and Bear Lake Road were expected to remain minimal.
In-person fire information was available at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center through 4:30 p.m.
Prescribed Burns Reduce Wildfire Threat to Nearby Communities
The National Park Service uses prescribed fire to intentionally ignite vegetation under controlled conditions to achieve specific land management objectives, according to NPS policy. The Front Country burns specifically target reduction of grasses, shrubs and small trees that accumulate as hazardous fuels near developed areas.
Treatment areas from previous prescribed fires helped contain both the 2012 Fern Lake Fire and the 2020 East Troublesome Fire, which burned approximately 30,000 acres within the park, according to Rocky Mountain National Park fire history records. The protective buffers limited fire spread toward Estes Park and critical transportation corridors.
Rocky Mountain National Park began implementing prescribed fire programs in the late 1970s following national policy changes that shifted from total fire suppression to accepting fire as a natural ecological process. The park treats hundreds of acres annually using both prescribed fire and mechanical thinning methods.
Operations Require State and Local Coordination
Prescribed burns on federal lands require compliance with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment air quality standards and coordination with Larimer County emergency services, according to NPS fire management protocols.
The park must obtain air quality permits from CDPHE, which reviews projected smoke output to ensure compliance with Environmental Protection Agency standards for particulate matter. Operations are postponed if weather forecasts suggest air quality thresholds could be exceeded or sensitive populations may be affected.
Rocky Mountain National Park coordinates prescribed fire planning with the Larimer County Sheriff's Office, Larimer County Commissioners, Larimer County Office of Emergency Management and state air quality regulators before conducting burns.
EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards set maximum allowable concentrations for fine particulate matter at 35 micrograms per cubic meter for 24-hour periods. CDPHE maintains air quality monitoring stations throughout Larimer and Weld counties to track smoke impacts during fire events.
Additional updates are available on the park's social media channels and on InciWeb at inciweb.wildfire.gov.