Smoke has been visible northeast of Cortez from a prescribed burn in the Haycamp Mesa area of the San Juan National Forest.
Fire crews with the Dolores Ranger District are lighting underbrush, ladder fuels and forest litter as part of the South Carver burn off Forest Road 556.
About 550 acres were burned Monday, and 200 acres are planned for burning Tuesday, said Fire Management Officer Patrick Seekins. Twenty firefighters are conducting the burn with three engines, he said.
Smoke will be visible until this evening and will dissipate as rain moves through the area this week.
The Dolores Ranger District has several prescribed burns planned in the area for May when weather and fuel conditions are favorable.
Project areas identified are 2,700 acres in the Lake Canyon area 12 miles east of Dove Creek, 6,127 acres in the Boggy Draw area and 3,400 acres in the Haycamp Mesa area.
During burning operations, smoke likely will be visible from areas around Mancos, Dolores, Dove Creek, Cortez, and U.S. Highway 491 between Dove Creek and Pleasant View.
Smoke may settle into low lying valleys, and the Dolores River Canyon overnight. Smoke monitoring will be conducted, and ignitions will be scheduled to minimize smoke impacts to communities.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com