FLORENCE, Colo. (KOAA) — Phase One of the Corley Mine Surface Burn Mitigation Project begins Monday near Florence, according to the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS).
This is happening to extinguish a burning coal refuse pile located nine miles southwest of Florence.
You may see large coal or ash plumes that may look like wildfire smoke. DRMS says these smoke plumes may be seen across a wide area.
Construction begins Monday and is expected to be completed by September 4. DRMS says they will stop all work if winds exceed 25 miles per hour or if weather conditions present a fire risk.
The project is being funded through federal grants established to reduce the impacts of coal mines on communities. DRMS says the project has an accepted bid amount of more than $850,000.
The mitigation aims to address a 1.5 acre surface coal refuse pile that has been burning for more than two decades due to spontaneous combustion.
The pile is around 35 feet tall, 150 feet wide and 300 feet long.
According to DRMS, there were 15 different mines at the site between the 1920s and 1990s.
DRMS says they will oversee the excavation of more than 82,000 cubic yards of hot burning material. Each cubic yard will be doused in five gallons of water.
Once water is poured on the material, it will be blended from onsite waste piles before it's cooled and backfilled. According to DRMS, this will cover more than 160,000 cubic yards on a more than nine acre site.
To reduce fire danger, more than nine acres of vegetation will be cleared around the area, and 20,000 gallons of water will be available at all times. DRMS says the water will be in a tank with a 200 gallon-per-minute pump compatible with the Florence Fire Protection District.
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