Remaining prescribed burns planned for this year are agricultural ditch burns. The city conducts agricultural prescribed burning to help maintain open space agricultural properties, including ditches that provide water for open space farming and ranching operations. Prescribed burning in agricultural ditches removes vegetation from important irrigation infrastructure and helps control plant growth and invasive weed species.

In the coming months, the City of Boulder is hoping to conduct a number of prescribed ditch burns (weather permitting) in the following general locations:

North Boulder

  • North of Coot Lake, west of 63rd and south of Monarch Road
  • North of Coot Lake, west of 63rd and north of Monarch Road

East Boulder

  • East of 75th and north of Valmont
  • East of Meadow Glen neighborhood and north of Baseline

Southeast Boulder

  • Near east Boulder Community Recreation Center, west of Cherryvale Road and north of South Boulder Road
  • The small triangle between 36, South Boulder Road and South Cherryvale Road; 3 ditch burns planned in this area

The City of Bolder periodically conducts prescribed burns, weather permitting, on open space, agricultural areas and water ditches to:

  • Improve open space forest and grassland ecosystem health.
  • Maintain agricultural water infrastructure.

Prescribed burning in agricultural ditches removes vegetation from important irrigation infrastructure and helps control plant growth and invasive weed species.

As a reminder, Boulder and our partner agencies schedule prescribed burns with significant consideration of multiple requirements. When the city implements a prescribed burn, firefighters trained in preparing, lighting, and supervising prescribed fires will manage a team of certified firefighting staff to contain and control the burn. These burns are done with the assistance of City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, local fire protection districts, and Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.

Learn more about the city’s prescribed burning at bouldercolorado.gov/services/prescribed-burning

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