The USFS has posted a map (see below) to their twitter feed showing a planned prescribed burn for the Monument Preserve in Fiscal Year 2024 (which starts October 1st). From the image, it appears that the fire zone will basically be North of Schilling Ave. No further details available at this point. Per their website:

“In the ongoing effort to create and sustain resilient forests and grasslands, fire crews on the PSICC implement prescribed fire projects. Planned ignitions will begin when weather and fuel conditions become optimal for achieving management objectives while keeping smoke impacts to surrounding communities to a minimum. Weather and fuel conditions are closely monitored and the prescribed burning program will continue as long as conditions remain favorable.”

Just a heads up that USFS has accelerated their schedule and has begun work on the section of forest west of Mount Herman Rd and our neighborhood. Please see the pic below and the linked post from FOMP for more details:

https://fomp.org/2023/06/06/pikes-peak-ranger-district-to-implement-upper-monument-creek-fuels-reduction-project/

After the crew was done today, I got out and took a quick look at the progress made during the first day of mitigation. It is incredible, to say the least. The masticators made quick work of huge swaths of scrub oak, while they appear to leave the evergreens alone. They also left small islands of scrub oak and appeared to fill the trails with debris but not actually damage the trail beds themselves much.

Trail full of debris

The Gauntlet cleanup day in early April was a big success. There was a huge turnout from the neighborhood, the CUSP crew, Tri-Lakes Fire, El Paso County, and the USAFA football team.Thanks everyone for the coordination and hard work!

Here are some pics (credit to Diane Strohm)…

Great to see so many people out helping with another neighborhoold chipping day. Thanks! It looks like there was significant progress made on cleaning up the slash from the Rights of Way. Wish I could have helped, but my back is still preventing me from participating in any meaningful way.

Lianne, the girls and I will try to get some of the cut firewood down to Mark’s and move our remaining slash back from the road in case the grader wants to come by.

And from Diane: a few more photos…a big thank you to Mark P, Mark S, Steve R, Steve H, Rowley, Bob, Rob, Lianne, Brad…and especially to Toni for hanging on for the entire 12-hour chipping day!