East Troublesome Fire prompts BLM Kremmling Field Office to issue Emergency Closure Order
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KREMMLING, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management Kremmling Field Office has issued an emergency Notice of Public Closure in response to the East Troublesome Fire, informing the public that approximately 39,246 acres of BLM-administered lands north of U.S. Highway 40 to the border of the Arapahoe National Forest, east of Grand County Road 2, and west of U.S. Highway 34 are temporarily closed to entry as of Thursday October 15. The closure is necessary to ensure public safety and enable firefighters to focus on suppression efforts, and will remain in effect until emergency activities are completed, providing for safe public access.
“The safety of visitors, residents, and fire crews is always our top priority,” said Kremmling Field Manager Bill Mills. “We are working closely with the U.S. Forest Service, Grand County, and the Incident Management Team to monitor and address this rapidly evolving situation in what has been a truly historic fire season for northern Colorado.”
The East Troublesome Fire began near Grimes Peak on the Arapaho National Forest on the afternoon of October 14 and is currently burning primarily in lodgepole pine intermixed with sagebrush flats and grasslands. Wind gusts up to 45 mph, coupled with topography and dry fuels, have rapidly driven the fire toward BLM-administered lands in the Kremmling Field Office. The Northern Rockies Team 6 (Type II) is currently assigned to the fire and the cause is under investigation. Additional information on the fire is available online at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7242/
- BLM -
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.