| Contacts: | David Boyd, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 319-4130 |
Prescribed burn planned on BLM land in Eagle County (08-27-10)
Federal fire officials are planning a 580-acre prescribed fire this fall on Bureau of Land Management lands in Eagle County 1.5 miles southeast of Burns, Colo.
The burn could take place as early as Sept. 1, depending on weather, but could take place as late as mid-October. The burn will only be initiated if conditions are ideal for a safe and effective fire.
The prescribed fire is planned to improve wildlife habitat and ecosystem health as well as decrease the amount of fuel that has built-up in the areas. It is targeting oak brush and mountain shrubs.
A detailed fire plan for this burn has been developed in advance, and appropriate smoke permits have been obtained from the State of Colorado.
This fire should improve wildlife habitat by stimulating new, more nutritious plant production in the burned area. Because the fire should leave a patchwork of burned and unburned areas, wildlife will have better areas to feed but also continue to have areas of unburned vegetation that will provide important hiding cover.
Since these areas haven’t burned in a number of years, a large amount of debris and other fuels for fires have built-up. This burn will decrease that fuel load, helping reduce the risk of a much larger, unwanted wildfire.
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.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506