High Plains District Office
| Contacts: | Lesley A. Elser | |||
| 307-261-7603 |
BLM High Plains District Office Reminds Public Land Users of Fire Restrictions on Public Lands
As temperatures begin to cool and local area hunters take to the outdoors, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Plains District Office (HPDO) would like to remind public land users of fire restrictions still in place on public lands.
Fire restrictions were implemented this June due to dry conditions and high fire danger. Although daytime temperatures are cooling, range conditions are still extremely dry and risks of large wildfires are still high. Until significant weather changes occur, fire restrictions will remain in place.
“We appreciate all of the cooperation to date from all public land users,” said Kirk Strom HPDO fire management officer. “There are several large fires currently in the state and several human cause fires over the weekend. We need to remind everyone that the risks are still there and ask for the public’s continued cooperation. This is a very dry year and fuel moistures are still well below average. We will notify the public when conditions change and fire restrictions are lifted.”
Fire restrictions are in place on lands managed by the HPDO which includes the Buffalo, Casper, and Newcastle Field Offices. Fire restrictions on public lands differ by agency, forest and BLM field office. Refer to the following website for details and updates throughout the fall season:
http://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.
High Plains District Office 2987 Prospector Dr. Casper, WY 82604