(MONUMENT, Colo.) — The Pike-San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands Pikes Peak Ranger District will conduct a prescribed fire in June near Monument.

The fire will take place about a mile and a half west of Monument. Ignitions are weather-dependent and are expected to take place over three days at Memorial Grove, Monument Rock, and the Mt. Herman trailhead.

This project is meant to reduce surface fuels and restore ecosystem health on up to 1,000 acres. The burns aim to reduce the amount of pine needles, leaves, small branches, and oak brushes, as well as reduce woody debris left from earlier stages of the project in March.

Low-elevation Ponderosa Pine ecosystems such as those in Monument are estimated to have burned every 10 years. Prescribed fire will help mimic the natural fire regime and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

Once the fire begins, smoke may be present for several days or weeks in the general project area. Breathing in wood smoke may affect an individual’s health depending on what’s in the smoke and how long they are exposed. Some symptoms include irritation, difficulty breathing, and worsen asthma.

More updates about the prescribed fire will become available on Facebook and X at @PSICC_NF.