| Contacts: | Lynn Barclay: 970-826-5096 |
Three BLM prescribed burns planned this spring for Jackson County (04-19-10)
Jackson County, CO – The Kremmling Field Office is planning three prescribed fires this spring on Bureau of Land Management land in Jackson County. The burns are planned to begin this week and continue through the spring as weather conditions allow.
The three fires are planned to improve wildlife habitat and rangeland health and reduce hazardous fuels by decreasing the amount of vegetation that has built-up in the areas.
The 180 acre Vils Prescribed Fire project is scheduled as the first burn and is 13 miles south of Walden off Jackson County Road 25. The goal is to produce a mosaic pattern of burned and unburned vegetation to improve forage production and leave cover for wildlife. Reducing the amount of fuel will lessen the opportunity for intense burning wildfires to become established.
The Fisher Draw prescribed burn site is 12 miles northwest of Walden and is targeting 600 acres of diseased killed aspen. The desired outcome is to reduce the wildfire threat to area residents by removing dead debris and stimulate new growth. It will also improve wildlife habitat and winter range.
The 700 acre Sheep Mountain prescribed fire is 14 miles north, northwest of Walden and is intended to stimulate shrub growth and promote aspen regeneration. Plant diversity will be accomplished by burning the vegetation in a mosaic pattern, leaving cover and travel corridors for wildlife. It will also reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
Smoke from these projects may be visible from Walden and the surrounding area.
Each prescribed burn has a detailed fire plan developed in advance along with appropriate smoke permits issued by the State of Colorado. For more information please contact the Kremmling Field Office at 970-724-3000.
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.
2103 East Park Avenue Kremmling, CO 80459