| Contacts: | David Boyd, Fire Information Officer, 970 319-4130 | |||
| Kim Miller, Fire Information Officer, 970-309-0348 |
Water Creek Fire grows to 170 acres (06-20-10)
RIFLE, Colo. – The Water Creek Fire grew 20 acres from yesterday, when the lightning-caused fire 10 miles northwest of Rifle on the Roan Plateau was first reported. The 170-acre fire continued to burn actively in the afternoon, mostly burning the heavy timber that the fire missed inside the fire perimeter yesterday. Strong winds and hot, dry conditions continued today and are expected to persist Monday and Tuesday. No structures are threatened.
The two main access roads to the Roan Plateau were closed today for public safety because of the high amount of fire traffic. The Cow Creek Road was closed at the intersection of Divide Road and the JQS Road was closed at the bottom of the plateau. These roads are likely to be closed for the next several days.
About 100 firefighters are carefully managing the fire with safety as the highest priority. Two helicopters and several engines worked the fire today. Firefighters are allowing some acres to burn, while suppressing it at roads and strategic natural barriers.
Fire officials are urging the public to be careful with fire due to increasing fire danger. For effectively extinguishing your campfire, follow these guidelines:
1. Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible.
2. Pour lots of water on the fire to drown all embers, not just the red ones.
3. Pour until hissing sound stops.
4. Stir the campfire ashes and embers with a shovel.
5. Scrape the sticks and logs to remove any embers.
6. Stir and make sure everything is wet and cold to the touch.
7. If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough dirt or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cool. Remember: Do not bury the fire, as the fire will continue to smolder and could catch roots on fire that will eventually get to the surface and start a wildfire.
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