BLM to conduct prescribed fire at Dos Palmas Preserve to reduce wildfire risk
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Fire crews from the California Desert Interagency Fire Program will treat up to 133 acres of land with prescribed fire in the Dos Palmas Preserve in eastern Riverside County. The prescribed fire will occur on one day between January 10 and March 31, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., when specific weather conditions allow for safe, successful burning and smoke dispersion conditions are present. During the burn, smoke may be visible from the community of North Shore and Highway 111.
Fire crews will use prescribed fire to remove dead vegetation, which left untreated could feed and intensify a wildfire. After burning, crews will patrol and extinguish smoldering fuels. “The BLM is committed to keeping public landscapes healthy and productive and the prescribed fire is part of an ongoing restoration effort,” said Chelsea Collins, BLM Preserve Manager. “The prescribed fire will also support rejuvenation of the marsh habitat occupied by Ridgway’s Yuma rail.”
The Preserve encompasses approximately 14,000 acres and is cooperatively managed by the BLM and the Center for Natural Lands Management. In addition to the palm oases, the Preserve is home to the endangered desert pupfish and Yuma Ridgway’s rail and provides important wetland areas for several migratory bird species.
The California Desert Interagency Fire Program includes Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service firefighting resources that cover Death Valley National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Joshua Tree National Park and BLM’s California Desert District. As an interagency unit, fire personnel share responsibilities and equipment to effectively manage the California Desert Fire Program.
Additional information is available by contacting the BLM fuels specialist James Gannon at 951-903-4141. For more BLM information regarding wildfire prevention, contact: California Desert District Office 760-833-7100; Barstow Field Office, 760-252-6000; El Centro Field Office, 760-337-4400; Needles Field Office, 760-326-7000; Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 760-833-7100; or Ridgecrest Field Office, 760- 384-5400.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.