For Immediate Release: March 18, 2004.
Contact: Bob Leighty 970-945-3218, Frankie Romero 970-948-4756, Eric Rebitzke 970-948-3526
 

Accelerated burning programs planned for public lands this spring

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (March 18, 2004) - The White River National Forest and Glenwood Springs Resource Area of the Bureau of Land Management are gearing-up for a busy spring prescribed burning season where several controlled burns are planned throughout the area. The surrounding areas of Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Basalt, Eagle, Gypsum, Vail, Dillon, Rifle, Rulison and Meeker all have hazardous fuels reduction projects planned for this spring.

“We have new targets that are almost twice as much as what we have burned in the past,” said Forest Service Fire Management Officer Bob Leighty. These new fuel targets are part of an accelerated effort to create defensible space around rural and urban areas and reduce hazardous fuels by returning fire to its natural role in the ecosystem. The fuels projects planned total about 8,000 acres, when prior average fuel treatment accomplishments have been less than 5,000 acres.

“Our opportunities to burn are very limited in this area, but with the warm weather we have been getting we could be in prescription in another couple of weeks,” said Forest Service Fire Management Officer Frankie Romero. Prescribed fire activities are always weather dependent and it is hard to determine when exactly proper fuel moisture, weather conditions and temperatures will align, if at all.

Many of the projects are being planned in conjunction with community fire officials. About half the projects will be in the wildland urban interface, adjacent to communities and urban areas, and half in more remote areas. Most will be conducted through hand ignition and a few are mechanical or manual treatments.

Smoke management and monitoring will be in place for all burns and smoke approval from the State of Colorado Air Pollution Control is required prior to ignition.

Note to media: We will be releasing additional news releases closer to when the burns are planned that will address specific projects.

- BLM -