Aspen heads into prescribed burn with ‘abnormally dry conditions,’ National Weather Service says

Aspen heads into prescribed burn with ‘abnormally dry conditions,’ National Weather Service says

The U.S. Forest Service is preparing for a 900-acre prescribed burn on the south face of Red Mountain in Aspen as soon as mid-April, depending on weather and fuel conditions.  Known as the Sunnyside Prescribed Fire, the project is designed to reduce hazardous fuels, restore forest health, and improve habitat for elk and mule deer in an area that is long overdue for fire. The burn comes as the Roaring Fork Valley enters spring under abnormally dr…