| Contacts: | Ody Anderson, (970) 876-9030, Fuels Specialist | |||
| David Boyd, Public Affairs, (970) 876-9008 |
BLM, USFS to hold public meeting for prescribed burn planned south of Silt
SILT, Colo. – Federal fire officials will be holding a public meeting Dec. 10 to present information and answer questions about a proposed prescribed fire planned 14 miles south of Silt in Reservoir Gulch. The meeting will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Bureau of Land Management Office in Silt, 2300 River Frontage Road.
The Bureau of Land Management, White River National Forest and Grand Mesa Uncompahgre National Forest are working together on this proposed project, which is designed to reduce hazardous build-up of brush and other wildfire fuel, reduce the risk of fire to adjacent private property, and improve ecosystem health.
“Burning in oak brush and other mountain shrubs helps increase diversity of the vegetation while improving wildlife habitat on public land,” said Ody Anderson, project lead. “It also increases safety for firefighters and the public.”
The burn could take place as early as this spring if the right combination of weather conditions and moisture in the vegetation occurs. Fire officials hope to burn about 1,000 acres on BLM land and about 1,300 acres on National Forest System lands.
For additional information about the meeting and the proposed burn, contact Project Lead Ody Anderson (970) 876-9030.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2300 River Frontage Road Silt, CO 81652