| Contacts: | Denise Adamic, BLM (719) 269-8553 |
Highway 50 and Arkansas River to Reopen after Spike Buck Fire (06-21-12)
CAÑON CITY, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Department of Transportation reopened U.S. Highway 50 and the Arkansas River today at 1 p.m.
The highway and river had been closed from Texas Creek to Parkdale since 2:30 p.m. Wednesday when the Spike Buck Fire started 14 miles west of Cañon City.
“The cooler temperatures and higher humidity have helped us get a handle on this fire,” said Keith Berger, BLM Royal Gorge Field Manager. “Thanks to Deer Mountain Fire, Tallahasse Fire, Fremont County, and the Colorado Department of Transportation, we were able to attack this fire quickly.”
The Spike Buck Fire is contained. It burned 6 acres of BLM land south of U.S. Highway 50. A firefighting crew will remain on scene throughout the day to monitor the fire.
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.
3028 E. Main Street Canon City, CO 81212