Tram Hill Fuel Reduction Project

The City of Boulder is committed to transparent, inclusive and equitable community engagement. This project will inform the community per the city’s Engagement Strategic Framework.

This project covers over 100 acres west of the City of Boulder.

No road closures or traffic impacts are expected.

No power outages are expected in relation to this project.

• The elimination of ladder fuels and increased crown spacing will help to reduce wildfire severity and reduce post-fire erosion impacts to the trees, ground vegetation and soils.
• Increased crown spacing helps forest health and diversity, allowing for aspen and other species.
• Project operations will consist primarily of hand crews cutting and processing trees on site; these operations minimally impact ground vegetation.

• Due to the steep slopes in the Tram Hill project area, post-fire erosion poses a risk to critical infrastructure and wildlife habitat. The Tram Hill project prescription removes trees and increases tree crown spacing to reduce the risk of a high-intensity crown fire. Reducing the potential for fire spread and high burn severity helps to minimize post-fire erosion and debris flow potential.

• The project prescription also focuses primarily on removing trees with trunks that are 8” in diameter or less. This balances the need to reduce overall fuels and open crown space while leaving larger, more established trees on the landscape whose roots continue to hold soils in place. 

• Reducing tree density also helps to protect critical drinking water infrastructure from the direct heat of a wildfire and post-fire erosion.

Trees and branches under 8 inches in diameter are chipped and spread onsite at a depth of 2 inches. In areas with limited accessibility by chipping equipment, contractors have created piles for burning during winter conditions. Burn piles are being managed by the Boulder Fire-Rescue Department.

• Trees growing on top of the drinking water supply pipeline will be cut down, in addition to trees that are less than 8 inches in diameter within the project corridor. Cutting trees less than 8 inches in diameter will increase the space between trees and help to reduce wildfire severity and spread.
• Xcel Energy will also be cutting trees within their powerline corridor, as well as trees that pose a risk of falling on the powerline. Their powerline corridor is 10 feet on either side of the powerline

This project is being conducted primarily by hand crews and mechanical equipment/vehicles for log removal.

While forest health is a consideration in project planning, the goals of the Tram Hill project are to protect critical infrastructure, improve first responder access, and reduce wildfire spread and severity. Reducing wildfire intensity by managing forests to keep fire on the ground and out of tree crowns can help protect the health of forests.

• Prescribed fire is a type of wildfire mitigation method that is conducted on open space, agricultural areas, and water ditches to help reduce wildfire risk, support healthier ecosystems, control invasive plants, and maintain water and utility infrastructure.
• Pile burning is a type of prescribed fire that we will use for the Tram Hill project during the winter months and as appropriate weather conditions allow.

The Boulder Fire-Rescue Department will manage this prescribed fire. When the city implements a prescribed burn, firefighters trained in preparing, lighting and supervising prescribed fires oversee the burn pile process. Pile burning is performed with the assistance of City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, local fire protection districts and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. All fires are put out at the end of the burn day and no piles are left burning without supervision.

• We have a number of ways to provide information to community members about prescribed burns, including
  • Press releases the day before and day of the prescribed burn.
  • Our webpage for Public Safety Events.
  • City social media.
  • Email alerts sent the day before and day of a prescribed burn. Community members can sign up for email alerts related to prescribed burns from this project and others on our Prescribed Burn webpage.
  • If the prescribed burn is in a prominent area along the mountain backdrop, we work with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to post notices on message boards along U.S. Highway 36 and Highway 93.

• Community members may notice smoke in the area during planned burns and residual smoke after burns are completed. Firefighters monitor burned areas on an ongoing basis until all heat sources have been determined as completely out.
• These burns are carefully planned, closely monitored and are not emergencies. Residents are asked not to call 911 about visible smoke from this planned event.
• Burn piles may start as early as December 2026 and will continue through the winter months of 2027 and into 2028, weather permitting.

If a day has been approved for a prescribed burn, ignitions will generally begin after 10 a.m. and then stop before 3 p.m. Fire personnel will be on scene before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. to continue to watch the fire and keep the area safe.

The Boulder Fire-Rescue Department will monitor pile burning, which will only occur under the correct conditions and weather.

Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. Young children – especially those under 7 years, older adults, those who have pre-existing respiratory or circulatory conditions, and pregnant women may be affected by smoke. To avoid smoke, please close windows and stay indoors. For more information, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

No major reseeding effort is expected to be necessary for this project. All reseeding will be done at an appropriate time of year if deemed necessary and in coordination with the Colorado State Forest Service, which has been helping to manage this project. The Colorado State Forest Service will also develop a post-management strategy to account for weeds and invasive species and ensure the long-term success of this project.