Coeur d'Alene BLM
| Contacts: | Suzanne Endsley (208) 769-5004 |
BLM Lifts Closure along Little Salmon River
Effective September 24, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is lifting the emergency closure order that restricted boating along a 12-mile stretch of the Lower Salmon River. The closure between the Lucile Recreation site downriver to the Twin Bridges landing was put in place to ensure public safety and accommodate fire suppression activities for the Sheep Fire. Progress on the western edge of the fire is allowing fire officials to minimize the need to utilize that section of the river.
Rafters and others using the Lower Salmon should remain aware of the firefighting efforts underway, yielding the river to helicopters that may be dipping in the river. Float groups are advised to stay together and not to stop to watch the aerial support activities. Rafters should pull over temporarily if they come upon a helicopter already dipping in the river then continue through the area expeditiously as soon as the helicopter leaves. Recreationists are also asked to avoid the Lucile boat pull-outs after 4:00 pm to reduce congestion for the ongoing fire support effort. Motorists are also urged to use caution and drive slowly along Highway 95 near Lucile, Idaho. Please avoid using pull-outs to stop and watch firefighting operations.
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.