High Desert District
| Contacts: | Shelley Gregory | |||
| 307-315-0612 |
Christnick Wildfire Burning Near Poe Mountain
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District, U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Albany County firefighters are attempting to suppress the very active Christnick wildfire burning approximately 40 miles north of Laramie, Wyo. near Poe Mountain.
The wildfire was first reported the night of Aug. 30 and has burned an estimated 650 acres in mainly sagebrush and grass. Firefighters are battling the blaze in difficult, steep terrain with hot, dry and windy weather conditions.
Three BLM, three USFS, and approximately five county engines are fighting the wildfire as well as a Type III helicopter, two single-engine air tankers, a Type I air tanker and an air tactical group supervisor. A second Type I air tanker, a Type I helicopter and three hot shot crews from Flagstaff, Kern Valley and San Juan have been ordered.
The cause of the wildfire is unknown. It is zero percent contained with no estimated containment date.
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 Desert District 280 Highway 191 North Rock Springs WY 83901