| Contacts: | Christopher B. Joyner, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 210-2126 |
Fire Restrictions Lifted (08-02-12)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management Colorado River Valley and Grand Junction field offices, the U.S. Forest Service Grand Valley Ranger District and several counties will rescind their fire restrictions beginning Friday, Aug. 3.
Recent rains have increased humidity and vegetation moisture, which prompted the lifting of fire restrictions throughout the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit.
Mesa, Garfield and Eagle counties are also lifting fire restrictions in conjunction with the BLM and the Grand Valley Ranger District. The use of fire pans is recommended and is required in some areas on the BLM. While the UCR protection zone has received rain, some areas remain dry. Fire officials encourage visitors to be safe and be responsible with campfires, smoking and use of motorized vehicles and equipment to prevent human-caused fire while enjoying the outdoors.
BLM Grand Junction Field Manager Catherine Robertson encourages everyone to use a fire pan or designated fire ring whenever possible. “If you must build a fire outside without a fire pan, clear to mineral soil”, said Robertson. According to Robertson, extremely dry areas remain throughout the region. Some areas such as the Demaree Wilderness Study Area have only received negligible precipitation and remain high risk for fire. The lifting of fire restrictions doesn’t relieve visitors from their obligation to burn responsibly. Human caused fires pose a very serious threat to life and property. There are serious legal liability ramifications for damages associated with human caused wildfire.
For more information, contact Christopher Joyner at (970) 210-2126 or Lee Ann Loupe at (970) 596-0246.
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