| Contacts: | Laura McConnell, Public Information Officer | |||
| Phone: 303-775-9132 | ||||
| Beth Hermanson, Public Information Officer | ||||
| Phone: 605-381-7232 |
Major Progress Made on Parkdale Canyon Fire (06-24-10)
Canon City, Colo. –Excellent progress was made on the Parkdale Canyon Fire. Due to better mapping, the fire is now at 600 acres. The containment is now up to 65 percent and more progress should be made today.
Incident Commander Todd Pechota said “efforts of the initial attack and additional resources brought to the fire have made a difference. I am extremely proud of all of our firefighters and the work they have accomplished.”
Media will be allowed escorted entry into the restricted area. Press tours will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Members of the media will need to RSVP by 10:30 a.m. to 719-276-7101. Media members will need to wear leather boots that go above the ankle. The incident management team will provide all other protective gear required. Media will need to meet at the ICP (Incident Command Post) located at Canon City High School, second floor at the Information Office.
Actions planned for today include continued perimeter control and mop-up operations.
There are still evacuations in place. The following evacuations are still in place for the following locations within the fire perimeter.
· The Royal View Campground will remain closed due to safety considerations for the firefighters, public, and visitors to the area.
· All areas west of County Road 61 and south of Highway 50 south to the Arkansas River.
Resources on the fire include three Type One Hotshot crews, four Type Two crews, two heavy helitankers and 11 engines. As of last night, there were 217 personnel assigned to fire operations.
Expected containment is now June 25, 2010, and costs to date are $610,510.
Cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the fire is human caused.
The fire started at l p.m. on June 21.
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.
3028 E. Main Street Canon City, CO 81212