High Desert District Taps New Fire Management Officer

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
High Desert District Office

Release Date: 10/06/10

Contacts:		Serena Baker
		307-350-0448

High Desert District Taps New Fire Management Officer

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District has announced that Frank Keeler has been selected as the new Fire Management Officer.

Frank Keeler.
Frank Keeler.
Keeler brings to the position more than 22 years of fire fighting, fuels management and fire operations experience. He began his fire career as an engine crew member in BLM’s Cody Field Office during the summer of 1988 when Yellowstone National Park was experiencing a particularly severe fire season. The majority of Keeler’s professional life has been spent working for the U.S. Forest Service in the Medicine Bow National Forest. Most recently, Keeler has served as the High Desert District's Assistant Fire Management Officer for Operations and Acting Fire Management Officer.

The culture of firefighting is what draws Keeler to the job, “It’s the team work, building a core group of individuals you can depend upon. I’ve also gotten to see the country traveling from Florida to Alaska fighting fires. And, it is very rewarding being able to help out communities in their time of need.”

A Wyoming native, Keeler is an active hunter. He and his wife Wendy have two children, Katie, 10, and Karsen, 8.

For more information, call Frank Keeler at (307) 350-6994.

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.

--BLM--

High Desert District Office 280 Highway 191 North Rock Springs, WY 82901

Last updated: 10-06-2010