| Contacts: | Fire Information at 970 209-8006 |
Third Water Spring Firefighters Make Good Progress (07-06-12)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Cooler temperatures and higher humidity allowed firefighters to gain the upper hand on the Third Water Spring Fire northeast of Grand Junction Thursday.
One hundred and thirty men and women using hand tools, helicopters and engines managed to prevent the fire from spreading and have now contained 25% of its 137 acre perimeter. The fire is burning primarily on Bureau of Land Management Land.
Thursday evening, 20 members of the surrounding community met with representatives of the Incident Management Team, Bureau of Land Management and the Garfield Sheriff’s department to hear the latest update on the fire’s status. The news was good as Incident Commander Lathan Johnson expressed hope that the fire would be fully contained in the near future.
Officials reminded the audience that the western United States is experiencing record dry conditions and that fire danger remains high. Citizens were encouraged to register their home phones, cell phones and email addresses with county officials to aid in future notices concerning emergencies.
There are currently no evacuations or pre-evacuation orders in place in conjunction with the Third Water Springs Fire.
More information about the Third Water Spring Fire is available by calling 970-209-8006.
For information about preparing for possible evacuations, log on to www.sheriff.mesacounty.us.
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Note to editor:
Cutline: Incident Commander Lathan Johnson, flanked by BLM Grand Junction Field Officer Manager Catherine Robertson, left, brief a crowd of 21 citizens at the Cowboy Chapel of Prayer near the Third Water Spring Fire, July 5.
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