Prescribed fire is the controlled application of fire to the land to accomplish specific land management goals. Ignitions may be either human- or naturally caused.
Thinned forests can recover faster and are more resistant to insect and disease attacks.
Currently, most of Colorado's mature forests are overcrowded, resulting in a lack of vigor and health. When excess vegetation or needle layers are burned off, nitrogen and other nutrients are released into the soil and become available for new plants to grow. Grazing wildlife benefit from new growth as shrubs produce succulent edible leaves when resprouting after a fire. Controlling where the smoke will go is an important part of every prescribed burn. Before each burn, land managers look carefully at what they plan to burn and the proximity of houses, roads, and other smoke sensitive sites to the planned burn area.