| Contacts: | Lee Ann Loupe, USFS, (970) 874-6717 | |||
| Matt McGrath, BLM (970) 244-3029 |
Prescribed burns planned on federal lands in western Mesa, Garfield counties (09-01-10)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- Federal fire officials from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit are planning several prescribed burns this fall in Mesa and Garfield counties.
The burns could take place as early as Sept. 1, depending on weather, but could take place as late as mid-October. The burns will only be initiated if conditions are ideal for safe and effective fires.
The prescribed fires are planned to improve wildlife habitat and ecosystem health as well as decrease the amount of fuel that has built-up in the areas.
The 500-acre Pine Mountain Prescribed Fire is planned on the U.S. Forest Service lands in the Grand Valley Ranger District, eight miles east of Gateway, Colo. This will be an understory burn in ponderosa pine.
The 500-acre Battlements Prescribed Fire is planned to improve the health of aspen on the U.S. Forest Service lands in the Grand Valley Ranger District, six miles north of Collbran.
The 350-acre Brush Mountain Prescribed Fire is planned on Bureau of Land Management land 36 miles north of Grand Junction in sagebrush and mountain shrub communities.
The 120-acre Black Ridge Prescribed Fire is planned on Bureau of Land Management land eight miles west of Grand Junction in pinyon-juniper.
The 2-acre Red Canyon Prescribed Fire is planned in the Colorado National Monument in sagebrush and mountain shrub.
A detailed fire plan for each burn has been developed in advance, and appropriate smoke permits have been obtained from the State of Colorado.
These fires should improve wildlife habitat by stimulating new, more nutritious plant production in the burned area.
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.
For more information on these fires, contact Jeff Phillips, 970 244-3040.
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