| Contacts: | Michael Blakeman, (719) 852-6212 |
Stage II Fire Restrictions Issued for SLV (06-25-12)
MONTE VISTA, Colo. – Due to the increasing fire danger, Stage II fire restrictions have been issued for all the federal lands and many of the counties in the Upper Rio Grande Watershed. The restrictions begin on Tuesday, June 26, for lands managed by the Rio Grande National Forest, BLM’s San Luis Valley Field Office, San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex and the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
Stage II fire restrictions prohibit:
• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire, charcoal grill, coal, wood burning stove or sheepherders stove, including in developed camping and picnic grounds. Devices using pressurized liquid or gas are exempted;
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building;
• Using an explosive requiring fuse or blasting caps, fireworks, rockets, exploding targets and tracers or incendiary ammunition;
• Operating a chainsaw without an approved spark arrestor, and without a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher at least eight ounces capacity by weight and a round-point shovel with an overall length of at least 36 inches that is readily available for use;
• Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame except with a current permit, contract or letter of authorization.
The use of fireworks, flares or other incendiary devices is always prohibited on federal lands and is currently prohibited on all state and private lands in Colorado.
For more information concerning Stage II fire restrictions on land managed by:
• The BLM San Luis Valley Field Office and Rio Grande National Forest, call 719-852-5941.
• The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, call 719-378-6399.
• The San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex, call 719-589-4021.
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.
1803 West Hwy 160 Monte Vista, CO 81144