For Immediate Release:  May 23, 2003
Contact: Lynn Barclay - 970-826-5108

LIGHTNING STARTS FIRE IN RIO BLANCO COUNTY

The Horse Fire was one-tenth acre when discovered Wednesday, May 21, 2 miles NE of Texas Mountain at the top of Little Horse Draw about 20 miles south of Rangely. It’s burning predominantly in pinyon and juniper trees with some Service Berry and Gambel Oak brush, light grass with dead and down fuel and duff on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public land.

The fire is currently one acre in size with occasional torching of trees.  Relative humidities are low and winds have registered 3-6 miles per hour with gusts up to 10 miles per hour.  The winds combined with higher temperatures have increased fire activity.

No structures are threatened.  A shut-in well pad (not in operation) near the fire has been marked as a safety zone for the fire crews.  The well pad sits on an acre and a half of cleared ground which offers a safe clearing should fire crews have to quickly move out of way of an advancing fire.

The fire being managed for Fire Use in a predefined Fire Management Area approved in the White River Fire Management Plan.  This area is designated to manage natural fires to promote a diverse vegetation pattern and reduces hazardous fuel loads.

Use Fires are monitored daily for the duration of the fire.  The Horse Fire has Fire Use Manager Mike Frary (equivalent to Incident Commander), assigned to it for managing the oversight of fire operations.  An interagency engine out of the BLM station in Meeker is monitoring the fire with engines and a squad of firefighters ready to respond if necessary.

Even with recent rain, relief from the drought is not complete.  This is evident in the full burning or consumption of the large dead and down trees, they are not retaining moisture and will continue to be dry with warm weather. 

            We are asking the public to remember safe fire handling practices:

            *Build campfires in cleared areas

            *Have a shovel, bucket and water handy to extinguish fires

            *Make sure cigarettes are dead out before discarding

            *No Fireworks allowed on public lands

 More Fire Use information is available at www.fireuse.org

-BLM-