High Desert District
| Contacts: | Shelley Gregory | |||
| 307-315-0612 |
BLM Makes Progress on Bear Mountain Complex:
Carbon County Road 351 Now Open
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District is making significant progress on the 6,671 acre Bear Mountain Complex, comprised of the Ferris and Seminoe wildfires, 30 miles northeast of Rawlins, Wyo.
The Ferris fire has burned an estimated 2,842 acres of grass, sagebrush, and mixed conifer trees with heavy pine beetle kill since July 27. The fire is located in very steep, rugged terrain on BLM, state and private lands on Ferris Mountain, including the Ferris Wilderness Study Area, and continues to creep and smolder with interior single and group tree torching. Effective burnout operations on the east and northeast perimeters increased the fire’s containment to 47 percent. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The lightning-caused Seminoe fire has burned approximately 3,829 acres of grass, sagebrush, juniper, and ponderosa pine on BLM, Bureau of Reclamation, state and private lands since July 21. It is 100 percent contained and the road closure on Carbon County Road 351 has been lifted.
Due to recent rainfall and successful firefighting efforts, crews and equipment are being demobilized from the complex. Two engines and one crew will remain on the Seminoe fire while two crews and one engine will remain on the Ferris fire to monitor and patrol the areas.
The public is advised to continue using caution in both areas due to ongoing fire activity and traffic.
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