If you are traveling northwest and notice smoke on the horizon, fear not, for Boulder Fire Rescue are continuing several prescribed burns this week. 

With weather conditions permitting, there are four controlled burns planned over the next several days. Boulder Fire Rescue — in collaboration with Open Space and Mountain Parks and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office — will initiate the burns on city-managed open spaces. 

The four burns will take place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and are planned for the following areas: 

• McGinn and South Boulder Canyon Ditches between Arapahoe Road and Baseline Road, east of 75th Street and West of 95th Street. 
• Leyner Cottonwood #1 Ditch near the 7000 block of Valmont Road, east of 75th Street and east of Valmont Reservoir. 
• Dry Creek Ditch west of north 71st Street, east of Diagonal/Highway 119 and south of Highway 52/Mineral Road. 
• Kolb I Ditch southeast of the intersection of Jay Road and north 75th Street.

All burning will be supervised and monitored by Boulder Fire-Rescue and residents are asked not to call 911 for smoke from these burns. When the city prescribes a burn, they are supervised by firefighters trained in preparing, lighting and supervising the fires. 

They also work with a team of wildland firefighters to confine and contain the burn. For more information, check out the City of Boulder’s seasonal prescribed burn press release online.