U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
| Contacts: | David Boyd, Public Information Officer (970) 947-2832 |
Wildfire Safety Workshop Scheduled
RIFLE, Colo. — With fire season nearly upon us, fire officials are encouraging homeowners in the Rifle and Silt areas to attend a special Firewise workshop at the Colorado Mountain College West Garfield Campus on Saturday, June 6, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Federal, state and local fire officials are teaming with Colorado Mountain College for this workshop, which will help area homeowners learn more about wildfire – and specifically how to make their homes more defensible against wildfires.
“A large number of homes in this area are at risk because they are adjacent to undeveloped lands susceptible to wildfire,” said Doug Paul, Fire Mitigation and Education Specialist for the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit. “We’ll show homeowners a number of relatively simple steps they can take to lessen that risk and make their homes more defensible.”
The workshop will feature presentations about wildfire history and behavior, creating defensible space, how to help local fire districts, and local vegetation types as fuel for fires.
Presenters include representatives from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Area, Colorado State Forest Service, Burning Mountains Fire Protection District, and Rifle Fire Protection District.
The West Garfield Campus is located at 3695 Airport Road in Rifle.
“While this location is especially convenient for homeowners in the Silt and Rifle areas, anyone wishing to learn more about wildfire and defensible space is welcome to attend,” Paul said.
For more information about the workshop, contact Doug Paul, (970) 244-3106.
Wildfire Safety
Colorado Mountain College
West Garfield Campus
June 6, 2009
9:00 am – 11:00 am
- Wildland Fire History, Ecology, Behavior and Suppression in Western Colorado: Doug Paul, Upper Colorado Interagency Fire Management Unit
- Creating Defensible Space Around Your Home and State Cost Share Programs: Kelly Rogers, Colorado State Forest Service
- Information on Your Local Fire Districts and How You Can Help: Brit McLin, Burning Mountains Fire Protection District and Kevin Whelen, Rifle Fire Protection District
- A Look at Typical Garfield County Vegetation as a Fuel for Fire: A short walk with staff near CMC.
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.
BLM Colorado, Glenwood Springs Field Office, 50629 Highway 6 & 24 Glenwood Springs, CO 81601