| Contacts: | Lynn Barclay: 970-826-5096 |
Containment expected Monday evening on the Rough Fire (07-12-10)
Rangely, CO – The Rough Fire is 340 acres and 70% contained. Full containment is expected by tomorrow evening. Fire crews successfully held firelines during high winds associated with thunderstorms Saturday afternoon. According to Incident Commander Dale Beckerman of the Northwest Colorado Fire Management Unit, the fire made its initial run Friday and hasn’t grown much since then. Increase in acreage is due to more accurate mapping.
The Rough Fire was reported Friday afternoon and was caused by lightning.
Three small fires were reported yesterday afternoon, two in Rio Blanco County and one in Moffat County, on Bureau of Land Management public lands. The two fires in Rio Blanco County were contained yesterday evening and the fire in Moffat County is expected to be contained today. All three fires were less than a quarter acre.
Scattered thunderstorms with moderate rainfall are forecast this afternoon for northwest Colorado. Strong winds will accompany the storms. Drier conditions are expected Monday with above normal temperatures later in the week.
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.
220 E. Market Meeker, CO 81641