High Desert District
| Contacts: | Shelley Gregory | |||
| 307-315-0612 |
Firefighters Make Progress on Christnick Wildfire
Over 180 Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and local firefighters continue to combat the Christnick wildfire burning approximately 40 miles north of Laramie, Wyo.
The wildfire is an estimated 2,700 acres and is traveling through difficult, steep terrain in sagebrush and heavy grass loads on private, state and federal land. Approximately 40 percent of the wildfire is contained with full containment expected for the night of Sept. 2.
BLM High Desert District Fire Management Officer Frank Keeler states, “Crews and engines made great progress on controlling fire lines and the cooler weather also helped.”
Twelve BLM, USFS and local engines are currently on scene with two engines en route. Four Type I hot shot crews from Flagstaff, Kern Valley, Granite Mountain and San Juan and a Type II initial attack crew from Willamette Central are also on the incident. Two single-engine air tankers, a Type I and a Type III helicopter, two Type II heavy air tankers and two fixed-wing air attacks are providing aerial support.
The cause of the Christnick wildfire has not been determined.
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 82901