| Contacts: | David Boyd, BLM Public Information Officer, 970 319-4130 | |||
| Lisa McCammon, Mesa County, 970 244-3929 |
BLM, Mesa County and Grand Junction rescind fire restrictions (08-05-10)
Fire restrictions covering Bureau of Land Management lands in the Grand Junction and Colorado River Valley field offices, unincorporated lands in Mesa County, and incorporated lands within the City of Grand Junction will be rescinded effective Friday, Aug 6.
Recent moisture has reduced fire danger to a level no longer necessitating fire restrictions, but fire officials warn that fire danger is still present and urge the public to use caution.
BLM initiated fire restrictions for its Grand Junction and Colorado River Valley field offices July 2. This included BLM lands in Eagle, Garfield, Mesa and Pitkin counties. BLM lands in portions of southern Rio Blanco and Routt counties and northern portions of Delta and Montrose counties were also included within these BLM field office boundaries and covered by the restrictions.
Mesa County in cooperation with the Grand Junction Fire Department initiated fire restrictions July 7 covering unincorporated lands in Mesa County and incorporated lands within the City of Grand Junction.
The White River and Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests did not enact fire restrictions this year because of generally higher elevations and variability in fuel moisture conditions. Western Colorado counties other than Mesa did not enact additional fire restrictions above their routine seasonal policies. Because fire regulations and policies vary by county, the public is urged to check with their local county regarding its fire regulations for non-federal lands.
Fire managers base decisions about fire restrictions on specific moisture measurements in vegetation.
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.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506