Residents in Woodland Park, Divide and Florissant in Teller and Park counties may see smoke as the South Park Ranger District conducts prescribed pile burns Thursday.

The Pike-San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands posted on X from the United States Forest Service account saying they are conducting this prescribed burn operation on the Praise Mountain piles. They say people along U.S. Highway 24 may see smoke and flames.

The Pikes Peak Ranger District also conducted a prescribed burn for the West Schubarth operation Wednesday. The National Forest Service posted on X saying smoke may be visible near Forest Service Road 307 in Woodland Park for several days while the material continues to smolder.

The South Platte Ranger District is continuing prescribed burns at the Harris park piles. The National Forest Service says smoke and flames may be visible from Harris Park in Park County.

According to Shawna Graves with the public affairs office for the Pikes and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, there are people on the ground controlling the situation.

The piles are from low hanging tree branches and brush as part of the forest service’s land management strategy to help clear underbrush.

She says this fuels reduction project reduces fuels and lessens the risk of high intensity wildfire.