KUSA - U.S. Forest Service firefighters took advantage of recent snow accumulation to burn slash piles the last two days.

There are piles that sit for nearly four years until they are burned by the U.S. Forest Service.

Conditions are evaluated each day of the burn to determine if ignition will take place. Wind, fuel moisture, staffing and snow cover all play a factor in where and whether ignition occurs. The U.S. Forest Service also has to wait until the piles dry out.

To date, the Canyon Lakes Ranger District has burned over 3,000 piles this winter.

This winter has been extremely dry, which means the U.S. Forest Service plans to burn 5,000 piles this season.

9NEWS Multimedia Journalist Brian Willie spoke to James White with the U.S. Forest Service. Watch the video above to see what he says about the slash pile burning.

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