U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Malta Field Office
Malta Field Office
| Contacts: | Craig Flentie 406-538-1943 |
BLM Planning Controlled Burn Near Malta
The Bureau of Land Management is planning a controlled burn on about 860 acres in Guston Coulee, 15 miles south east of Malta.
The BLM anticipates the burn will occur sometime between July 6 and August 1. The exact timing will be determined by weather conditions (wind direction, wind speed, relative humidity and expected moisture) and staff availability.
This surface is owned by the Bureau of Reclamation, but managed by the BLM. The objective of this range management action is to reduce cheat grass and prickly pear cactus infestations and improve grazing conditions for livestock and wildlife.
The BLM has informed other area entities that deal with wildfire and numerous individuals of the controlled burn. “We anticipate some area residents will see the smoke created by this burn and we want to do our best to inform everyone of the potential and not create undue concern,” according to Rich Adams, BLM’ s Malta Assistant Field Manager.
If you have questions about this controlled burn please contact Rich Adams or B. J. Rhodes in the Malta Field Office at 654-5100.
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.
Malta Field Office 510 S. 2nd Street Malta, MT 59538