| Contacts: | David Boyd, BLM Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 876-9008 | |||
| Patrick Thrasher, USFS Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 945-3237 | ||||
| Ody Anderson, Fuels Specialist, (970) 876-9030 |
Smoke to be visible from slash piles near Oak Meadows
RIFLE, Colo. – Smoke may be visible as early as this week about seven miles south of Glenwood Springs as fire crews from Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management begin burning slash piles generated from fuels reduction work near the Oak Meadows subdivision.
Crews will burn piles when weather conditions are favorable to lift smoke out of the area and moisture in adjacent vegetation is at acceptable levels to prevent spread. Burning could begin as early as this week and potentially continue through February.
“We’re waiting for good snow cover before we begin burning,” said Project Leader Ody Anderson. “We have more than 200 piles to burn this winter at Oak Meadows.”
Crews created openings in the oak brush and mountain shrubs on Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service lands near the boundary with private land to reduce the heavy fire fuel load and improve wildlife habitat. The resulting slash was piled and allowed to dry.
Smoke will likely be seen for short periods from the nearby subdivision and Four Mile drainage when crews burn at Oak Meadows. Some drift smoke could affect homeowners for a short period of time. Anyone with health conditions that may be affected by short durations of smoke should contact Ody Anderson at (970) 876-9030.
Reducing the continuous stands of brush helps reduce the wildfire threat as well as improve firefighter and public safety. The work stimulates new growth of grasses, forbs and shrubs that greatly enhances wildlife habitat.
The piles will be burned under the authority of an approved burn plan and smoke permit when moisture in adjacent vegetation is at acceptable levels.
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.