Prescribed burn in Breckenridge "unprecedented" because of multi-agency approach, not size or location

Fire crews are searching for the perfect day to set around 90 acres of land burn piles ablaze near the Wellington neighborhood in Breckenridge, and the word around town is that it will be an "unprecedented" burn. 

Mathew Benedict, Wildland Division Captain with Red White Blue Fire Protection District explained to CBS News Colorado that's true, but maybe not in the way that people are taking the message. 

"The unprecedented part of this is the collaboration piece, burning piles in the urban interface, we've been doing that for 15 years," Benedict said. "That is not unprecedented."

The multi-agency burn is being funded by Summit County, Nature Conservancy, Denver Water and the U.S. Forest Service. It's been implemented through Summit County, the town of Breckenridge, the Colorado State Forest Service and the U.S. Forest Service.

Crews from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, Summit Fire and EMS, and Red White and Blue Fire District are going to be on hand for the burn.

Fuels Planner with the Dillion Ranger District Kat Grey said this is not new to have so many agencies together, but it's certainly not normal. 

"It is becoming more and more common because we are seeing more and more that fires don't care about boundary lines," Grey said. "So our prevention lines have to cross boundaries."

While Benedict said this prescribed burn was no closer to homes than any other prescribed burn, they understand the concern neighbors might have while watching the smoke rise right behind their homes. 

"It's an understandable...hesitation I guess, or caution," Benedict said. "Our prescription for this burn is pretty specific, it wants to have 6 inches of snow on the unit and the right conditions."

Teams are so confident the fires will not leave the area for intended burns, they're inviting folks to come up and see the process firsthand. 

"There will be firefighters up here lighting the piles, but we are also inviting some of the public up here, the trails will be open, they will be able to walk through unescorted," Benidict said. "That's the kind of confidence we have in the project."

Crews are looking to put fire on the ground as soon as they safely can when more snow has fallen and the right wind conditions are met. The hope for the team is before the end of the year.