| Contacts: | David Boyd, Fire Information Officer, (970) 876-9008 |
BLM, USFS plan two burns south of Silt
SILT, Colo. – Federal fire officials with the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit are planning two prescribed fires south of Silt this spring to reduce hazardous build-up of vegetation and improve wildlife habitat.
While the burns aren’t likely to get started until at least April, fire officials want to make sure the public is aware of the planned burns and has a chance to express any concerns and ask questions.
The prescribed fires are planned in the Reservoir Gulch area west of County Road 342 and in the West Divide Creek area east of County Road 344 and Flatiron Mountain.
Prescribed fires follow a carefully developed burn plan, and fire officials will wait for the right combinations of weather conditions and moisture in the vegetation before beginning these burns. They expect the ideal conditions to occur sometime between the beginning of April and mid-May.
“We look for weather conditions favorable for smoke dispersal to minimize impacts to area residents,” said Fuels Specialist Ody Anderson. “Still, anyone in the area with health conditions that could be affected by smoke should give us a call.”
The 2,300-acre Reservoir Gulch burn is planned on a mix of lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, White River National Forest and the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest. It’s about 14 miles south of Silt and 17 miles northeast of Collbran. For additional information about this burn, contact Project Lead Ody Anderson (970) 876-9030.
The 1,400-acre West Divide burn is on lands administered by the White River National Forest about 12 miles south of Silt. For more information about this burn, contact Project Lead Toni Toelle (970) 878-6011.
“Burning in oak brush and other mountain shrubs helps increase diversity of the vegetation while improving wildlife habitat on public land,” said Fuels Specialist Toni Toelle. “It also reduces fuel loadings and increases safety for firefighters and the public.”
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. 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