High Plains District Office
| Contacts: | Lesley A. Collins | |||
| 307-261-7603 |
Be Safe with Fireworks this Holiday Weekend
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Buffalo, Casper and Newcastle Field Offices wish everyone an enjoyable, but safe 4th of July!
Currently, the fire danger ranges from low to moderate due to the recent rain.
Wyoming High Plains District Fire Management Officer Jay Esperance, said “Don’t let the recent high waters and localized flooding fool you. The late season precipitation has brought on extensive grass growth that we haven’t seen for some time. When it dries and cures, it adds to the intensity of wildfires.”
“We are starting to pick up wildland fires daily and we need all of the users of federal lands to take extra precautions.”
Recreationists need to be aware the BLM places year-round restrictions on public lands along with additional restrictions. To receive up-to-date information on where fire restrictions are in effect on BLM lands, visit http://www.wy.blm.gov/wy_fire_restrictions.
BLM year-round fire restrictions include the following:
- Discharging or using any fireworks;
- Discharging a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition;
- Burning, igniting, or causing to burn any tire, wire, magnesium, or other hazardous or explosive material;
- Operating any off-road vehicle on public lands unless the vehicle is equipped with a properly installed spark arrester.
Also, it is important to follow these recommendations:
- Make sure campfires are “dead” out.
- Remember the fireworks are prohibited on BLM lands in Wyoming.
- Travel and camp with a shovel, fire extinguisher, and ample water.
- Attempt to confine smoking within a vehicle or cleared area.
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.
High Plains District Office 2987 Prospector Drive Casper, WY 82604