Crews will begin burning approximately 3,720 slash piles across Iron Mountain and Thaynes Canyon open space on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Park City Municipal contracted Alpine Forestry to carry out the work, which is expected to continue through spring 2027, the Park Record reported. Smoke will be visible during daytime operations and as piles smolder overnight. Residents near the burn areas should expect work vehicles parked along roadsides, and trail and area closures will go up as needed.

The piles consist of branches, logs, dead trees and underbrush left over from forest thinning. The city said crews will only light piles when three conditions are met: a high clearing index for smoke dispersal, enough snow cover or rainfall to prevent fire spread, and adequate personnel and equipment on site.

A 2023 wildfire risk assessment identified Thaynes Canyon as a high-priority watershed that supplies drinking water to Park City. The city sits within the Wildland Urban Interface, where conditions can fuel a large-scale wildfire threatening homes and infrastructure. The burn operation aims to create defensible space and access corridors for firefighters.

Alpine Forestry co-owner David Telian told KPCW on Oct. 1 that his company planned to start burning on Iron Mountain above the Aspen Springs neighborhood and in Thaynes Canyon that month. He said the company also has smaller projects in the Pinebrook and Summit Park neighborhoods.

Wasatch Fire District Fire Warden Troy Morgan told the Park Record on Oct. 9 that pile burning lets crews act on their own schedule. "We burn it on our own terms instead of having a massive wildfire," Morgan said.

Ash piles stay dangerously hot. Morgan warned residents to keep away from burn sites because the heat can linger long after flames go out. According to the city, piles may remain hot for several days after ignition.

If weather or air quality conditions prevent burning during the primary window, the work could extend into fall 2027 or later. Fire officials ask residents not to call in smoke from the prescribed burns and to stay clear of active and smoldering burn areas.