Prescribed burns at Fort Carson may send smoke into Las Animas County

Crews from Fort Carson and at the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site northeast of Trinidad are conducting a season of prescribed burns intended to reduce dead grasses, brush and other fuels that can feed larger wildfires. The operations began in early January and will continue through the winter into the early spring, with smoke visible at times along Interstate 25, Colorado 115 between Colorado Springs and Pueblo, and along Colorado 350 in Las Animas County.

Fort Carson officials say they will not announce every individual burn, though the Mountain Post will coordinate with local fire departments to make them aware of planned operations. Residents traveling the corridors between Pueblo and Trinidad should be alert for brief periods of reduced visibility and drifting smoke, especially on mornings and evenings when inversions can trap air near the ground.

Smoke poses a clear public health concern. People with asthma, chronic lung disease or heart disease face the greatest risk of worsening symptoms during smoke events. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recommends limiting exposure by keeping doors and windows closed and reducing time spent outdoors when air quality is poor. Those who feel chest pain, severe shortness of breath or other acute symptoms should seek medical attention.

The burns are part of long-term land management and wildfire risk reduction across military and adjacent lands. From a public-health standpoint, prescribed fire is a trade-off: short-term smoke exposure to lower the probability of catastrophic wildfire smoke and loss down the road. That balance matters in rural counties like Las Animas, where access to specialized respiratory care and indoor air filtration varies widely between town centers and remote ranches.

Local impacts will be uneven. Outdoor workers, school sports teams, older adults living in mobile homes without central air, and low-income households without air purifiers are more likely to suffer during smoke events. Interagency coordination with county fire departments can help, but notification gaps remain if individual burns are not publicized. Community-level measures such as temporary clean-air spaces at public buildings, distribution of N95 masks, and real-time air-quality alerts would reduce harms, especially for residents who cannot easily relocate during a burn.

If you have concerns or need information about specific burns, Fort Carson can be reached at (719) 526-9849. For guidance on protecting yourself and family from smoke, consult the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s smoke health guidance.

Our two cents? Keep a simple smoke plan: identify an indoor safe room, limit outdoor chores when smoke looks heavy, and check on neighbors with breathing illnesses. Small steps now can make a big difference if smoke drifts into your valley.