Hinsdale County to Perform Controlled Burns at Transfer Station During Month of January
Hinsdale County will be conducting a series of controlled burnings at the Transfer Station throughout the month of January to mitigate a pile of natural vegetation that has accumulated at the Transfer Station. This completely organic material was brought primarily to the dump by local property and ranch owners clearing their land or yards of potential wildfire fuels and consists of trees, shrubs and grasses. It is important to note that no there are no construction materials or treated wood within this pile of material.Commissioner Greg Levine was able to obtain a permit from the State of Colorado through asmoke management program. Commissioner Levine stated that the permit, which allows the county to burn at the Transfer Station, is a very cost effective and logical solution. The program will be a hybrid strategy alongside the continuation of the existing chipping program, which is, according to Levine, too expensive on it’s own, costing up to $20,000 per year. Thankfully, Hinsdale County has obtained a grant for further chipping activity in 2026 and beyond.The days of the controlled burns will be up to the discretion of Don Menzies, Hinsdale County Road and Bridge Manager, as long as certain weather conditions are present.Levine said, “ideal burning days would be snowy or rainy days without high winds, with lower wildfire conditions.” Levine stressed that these burnings will occur only during the winter, never in the summer.Levine predicts that the amount of material needing to be burned away is small enough that the task should be completed by the end of January, barring any extreme weather conditions.Levine said now that the permit is in hand and the public has been notified, Menzies can begin the burns whenever he chooses.Menzies told WORLD that this natural material will only have a small amount of accelerant added, “to get it going,” such as diesel fuel or kerosene, but that the amount would be miniscule. Menzies also wanted to note that there will be a full water truck on standby on site, as a safety precaution.Anyone with questions or concerns can call Menzies at 970-944-2400 or Hinsdale County Administration Offices at 970-944-2225.
