High Desert District
| Contacts: | Shelley Gregory | |||
| 307-315-0612 |
BLM Fighting Elk Butte Wildfire
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District and Sweetwater County, Wyo., are fighting the Elk Butte wildfire approximately 30 miles south of Rock Springs, Wyo., on Highway 430.
The wildfire was first reported at 11:30 a.m. today. It has burned an estimated 100 acres of grass, sagebrush, and juniper in steep, rugged terrain on BLM lands. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Resources on the wildfire include two Sweetwater County engines and a water tender as well as two BLM Type VI engines. Additional air and ground resources have been ordered to help fight the fire.
Fire activity is visible from Highway 430 and motorists are advised not to drive into smoke obscured areas. The public is asked to use caution or avoid the area entirely as fire behavior can change suddenly and fire spread is unpredictable if high winds develop.
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