| Contacts: | David Boyd, Fire Information Officer, 970 319-4130 | |||
| Recorded media fire information line: 970 244-3104 |
Water Creek Fire burning on the Roan Plateau; regional fire danger increasing (06-19-10)
RIFLE, Colo. – More than 50 firefighters are currently working the 30-acre Water Creek Fire, 10 miles northwest of Rifle on top of the Roan Plateau. No structures are threatened and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
A number of aircraft are working the fire, including a light helicopter, a heavy helicopter, a single engine air tanker, a heavy air tanker and two support airplanes. Four engines are on-scene, and additional crews have been ordered.
The fire was reported this morning. It is burning in heavy timber and is expected to grow this afternoon with high winds, low humidity and higher temperatures forecast for the area. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for western Colorado today and tomorrow, which indicates the risk of fire spread is high.
Because of the high fire potential throughout the Upper Colorado River area, fire officials with the Upper Colorado River Fire Management Unit are urging the public be extremely careful with fire. The Water Creek Fire is burning at about 9,000 feet elevation, clearly indicating that fire danger is not limited to low elevations in the area.
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.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506