Serving Rio Blanco, Garfield, Mesa, Pitkin and Delta counties
Primary forest types within the Rifle Field Office area include piñon-juniper woodlands at the lowest elevations, transitioning to Gambel oak and mixed mountain shrub woodlands. Moving higher in elevation, aspen and mixed conifer forests become primary, transitioning to Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir forests at the peaks.
Major geographic features include the Roaring Fork River Valley, White River Valley, Colorado River Valley, the Grand Mesa and Mount Sopris. Elevation ranges from 4,400 feet where the Colorado River flows into Utah to 14,000-foot peaks. Most of our work occurs in forests and woodlands between 5,000 and 10,000 feet.
Notable wildfires in the area include some of Colorado’s largest and most destructive, including the Lee Fire in 2025 (137,751 acres) and the Grizzly Creek Fire in 2020 (32,399 acres).
Matt Schiltz, Supervisory Forester, Rifle, 970-495-2286
Matthew Mastalir, Forester, Rifle, 970-495-2281
Hallie Flynn, Forester, Grand Junction, 970-248-7325
1001 Railroad Ave., Fairgrounds
P.O. Box 1112
Rifle, CO 81650
970-625-3969
[email protected]
Forest Restoration & Wildfire Risk Mitigation grants reduce the risk of wildfire to people, property and infrastructure and promote forest health and restoration.
Get information from the Colorado State Forest Service Nursery about buying, planting and caring for seedling trees.
Natural Resources Conservation Service – Colorado
White River National Forest
Grand Mesa National Forest, Grand Valley Ranger District: 970-242-8211
Colorado State University – Extension Service
Tri-River Area Extension
Garfield County Extension (Garfield and Pitkin Counties): 970-625-3969
Rio Blanco County Extension: 970-878-9490
Landowners and the Rifle Field Office worked together to lower the risk of wildfire over a few hundred acres of Gambel oak and serviceberry. Bonus: Deer and elk have easier access for forage and cover.
The new Rifle Field Office allows the CSFS to address forest health concerns and reduce wildfire risk in priority areas, such as the Roaring Fork Valley, the Colorado River Valley and the White River Watershed.
