High Desert District
| Contacts: | Shelley Gregory | |||
| 307-315-0612 |
BLM Urges Caution with Fire
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District (HDD) is urging the public to exercise caution and be fire safe on public lands.
“A warm, dry spring has primed lighter fuels such as grass and shrubs for fire,” HDD Fire Management Officer Frank Keeler states. The HDD has already experienced 14 wildfires with 1,640 acres burned.
As the spring ditch and field burning season gets underway, Keeler would like to remind the public that wind and temperature can dramatically affect fire behavior. “Keep fuel conditions in mind, check weather forecasts and, if in doubt, call your local fire department.”
Campfire safety remains a priority. Always maintain campfires within fire rings and never leave a fire unattended. Drown all embers with water and stir with a shovel to ensure fires are properly extinguished.
The BLM would also like to remind the public that the use of fireworks is illegal on public lands at all times and that off-highway vehicles must be equipped with Society of Automotive Engineers approved spark arresters.
Please report wildfires to the Rawlins Interagency Dispatch Center at 1-800-295-9953.
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