U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
| Contacts: | Lynn Barclay, BLM, 970-826-5096 | |||
| David Boyd, BLM, 970-319-4130 | ||||
| Steve Segin, RMACC, 303-445-4322 | ||||
BLM fire engine captain killed in accident
CRAIG, Colo.— A Bureau of Land Management firefighter was killed yesterday in an accident working a hazard-tree removal project.
Brett Stearns, 29, of Craig, Colo., was killed during a hazard tree abatement project at Freeman Reservoir, 15 miles northeast of Craig. The accident is currently under investigation.
Stearns was working on the project with about 12 other BLM firefighters when he was struck by a falling tree at approximately 4:30 p.m. Friday. He was pronounced dead on-scene.
Stearns was an engine captain and had worked in the fire program for the BLM Little Snake Field Office in Craig since 1999. He is survived by his wife, mother, father, one brother, and half sister.
Little Snake Field Manager John Husband said, "On behalf of the Little Snake Field Office and the Northwest Colorado Interagency Fire Management Unit, I offer my condolences to the family and friends of Brett Stearns. He dedicated his life to protecting the lives and property of the public. Firefighting is a dangerous profession and firefighter safety is the number one priority on fires and projects such as this. A detailed investigation is being conducted by a federal accident investigation team."
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.