Wildfire mitigation project about to kick off

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The City of Grand Junction and Mesa County partnered with the Bureau of Land Management and RiversEdge West to begin wildfire mitigation.

Across the valley after a wildfire sweeps through an area, the vegetation to grow back the quickest are tamarisk and Russian olive trees.

These trees pose a threat to infrastructure in surrounding areas as they allow for fires to travel horizontally and provides them with more fuel to continue burning.

The wildfire mitigation project will kick off April 3.

Crews will be working along the Riverfront Trail behind the River City SportsPlex to get rid of tamarisk and Russian olive trees.

The City of Grand Junction is providing logistics and planning consultation for the project while Mesa County is coordinating the removal of the plants.

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