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For
Immediate Release: Sept.
2, 2004 |
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Contact: |
Winslow Robertson, 970-244-3112 |
Prescribed fire
scheduled for Deer Pen area
A
prescribed fire, located entirely on public land approximately 20
miles north of Gypsum near the community of Burns, is scheduled for
sometime during the week of Sept. 6 in the Deer Pen area. Interagency
BLM – Forest Service crews from the Upper Colorado River Interagency
Fire Management Unit (UCRIFMU) will conduct the burn, ensuring that
the fire stays within identified boundaries. The Deer Pen burn will
involve about 500 acres of primarily juniper and sagebrush.
The
main objective of the prescribed fire is to reduce dense vegetation to
lessen the chance for catastrophic wildfires. The burn will also
improve wildlife habitat and increase forage for livestock.
Weather conditions will be closely monitored, and the burn will only
be initiated if conditions are ideal for a safe and effective fire.
Each prescribed burn conducted by the UCRIFMU has a detailed fire plan
developed in advance, along with appropriate smoke permits obtained
from both county and state agencies. Prescribed fires are one of many
tools public land managers use to reduce the risk of catastrophic
wildfires while improving wildlife habitat and overall land health.
-BLM- |
