Fire restrictions to be lifted

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.—Fire restrictions enacted on June 15, 2006, will be rescinded effective 12:01 a.m., Wednesday, August 16, on all Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands managed by the Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs Field Offices. Fire restrictions are also being lifted by the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office for that county.

The decision is based on a combination of evaluating moisture content of fuels such as sage brush, oak brush, pinyon-juniper and the weather service long-range forecast. Predicted monsoonal flows are forecast for the remainder of the week.

“The public has done an excellent job of being careful this fire season,” said Grand Junction Interagency Air Center Operations Specialist Chris Farinetti. “There have been some minor but no major human-caused fires, and we appreciate the public’s diligence in preventing catastrophic wildfires.”

Authorities with the White River and the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests lifted restrictions for those areas on August 1.

There are some pockets that have received less moisture and the potential for fire still exists because of dry fuels. Fire restrictions remain in place for all county lands in Eagle, Garfield and Pitkin Counties. The public is always encouraged to use caution and is reminded that the use of fireworks on federal land is prohibited year-round.

For information on Mesa County fire restrictions, call (970) 244-3500 or go to www.sheriff.mesacounty.us. Call (970) 244-3000 or (970) 947-2800, or go to www.fs.fed.us/r2/fire/gjc/restrictions/ for information on BLM fire restrictions. Statewide restrictions can be viewed at http://www.rockymountainwildlandfire.info and click on “Colorado Fire Bans & Restrictions.”

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