Wind River/Bighorn Basin District
| Contacts: | Sarah Beckwith | |||
| 307/347-5207 |
Paint Rock Fire Burning Near Medicine Lodge State Park
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wind River/Bighorn Basin District (WR/BBD) and Big Horn County are engaged in suppressing the Paint Rock Fire, 20 miles northeast of Worland, Wyo.
|
Firefighters are pursuing full suppression due to the fire’s proximity to Medicine Lodge State Park, which was temporarily evacuated on Thursday, and because of multiple fires in the region. The fire may be contained as early as Saturday evening.
Firefighting resources as of Friday include five engines, a hotshot crew, eight smokejumpers, a single engine air tanker and a helicopter. Additional resources have been ordered.
Acting WR/BBD fire management officer Ryan Sundberg urges the public to exercise caution in the area. “Please travel safely in the vicinity of the fire and obey any road closures for your own protection and the protection of the firefighters,” Sundberg said.
For more information, please contact Sundberg at 307-347-5188.
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.
Wind River/Bighorn Basin District 101 South 23rd Worland, WY 82401