Wind River/Bighorn Basin District
| Contacts: | Sarah Beckwith | |||
| 307-347-5207 |
BLM Cody and Worland Lift Fire Restrictions
Effective Friday, Oct. 12, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will lift all fire restrictions implemented by the Cody and Worland field offices within Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties.
Worland Field Manager Becky Spurgin is grateful to all for their cooperation and vigilance. “Firefighters have had their hands full during this extremely dry year,” said Spurgin. “Without the public’s adherence to the fire restrictions, it’s likely there would have been more fires.”
Cooler temperatures and increased moisture have helped improve conditions so that the following activities can resume on BLM-administered public lands:
- Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire.
- Smoking.
- Operating a chainsaw.
- Using an arc or gas welder or acetylene or other torch.
The following restrictions are in effect year-round on BLM-administered public lands:
- Discharging or using fireworks.
- Discharging a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition.
- Burning or igniting tires, wires, magnesium, or other hazardous or explosive material.
- Operating an off-road vehicle unless it is equipped with a properly installed spark arrester.
“Due to shorter days and cooler nights, fire danger has decreased across the Bighorn Basin, allowing us to lift fire restrictions,” said Assistant Fire Management Officer Ryan Sundberg. “But please remember as you’re out recreating and hunting on public lands to never leave your campfire unattended.”
For details and updates on BLM fire restrictions or conditions, please visit www.wy.blm.gov/wy_fire_restrictions/.
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