(PARK COUNTY, Colo.) — The South Park Ranger District on the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands is implementing a project meant to help reduce the likelihood of high-severity wildfires near Lake George.

The Arkansas Fuels Reduction Project is scheduled to begin in January and last through the summer. The 544 project is located along County Road 90 in Park County near Lake George.

“Fuels reduction projects are essential for reducing the likelihood of wildfires that threaten communities near national forest lands,” said South Park District Ranger Josh Voorhis. “Mechanical treatment can be used on its own or together with prescribed fire to change how wildfire behaves so that when a wildfire does burn through a treated area, it is less destructive, less costly, and easier to control.”

The project supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service’s 10-year Wildlife Crisis Strategy. The goal is to improve forest health by reducing hazardous fuels that have built up in the forest. This work will aid in reducing the likelihood of high-severity wildfires within the wildland-urban interface, the zone where human development meets wildlands.

According to USDA, mechanized and hand thinning will be used on the project. Any slash and debris will be piled for future prescribed fire projects.