Fire officials urge caution this weekend
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Fire officials with the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire and Aviation Management Unit are urging the public to be cautious with fire this holiday weekend as conditions continue to dry in western Colorado.
“While conditions across the area have not reached the critical point to warrant fire restrictions this weekend, people need to be aware that fire danger is currently high,” said Rob Berger, UCR Fire Management Officer. “We are starting to see more human caused fires, and we are reminding people to be thoughtful as they enjoy the outdoors this weekend.”
The Dillon Ranger District of the White River National Forest and Summit County are under fire restrictions. The remainder of the White River National Forest and public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management within the UCR are not.
If you plan to have a campfire, do not leave it unattended and make sure the campfire is completely out before leaving. Add water and dirt to extinguish campfires and mix up the embers, ensuring that campfires are cool to the touch before you leave.
Additional precautions include avoiding parking in tall dry grass or driving OHVs in areas where dry grass can be ignited by hot exhaust. Equipment should have working spark arresters and trailers should be inspected to ensure chains are not dragging and brakes are not overheating. It only takes one spark to start a wildfire.
Fireworks are always prohibited on federal lands.
The State of Colorado maintains a website with the latest fire restrictions statewide: http://www.coemergency.com/p/fire-bans-danger.html
The Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire and Aviation Management Unit includes Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service firefighting resources that cover 5.8 million acres along the Interstate 70, Colorado River and Roaring Fork River corridors from the Continental Divide to the Utah state line. The UCR includes the White River National Forest and the BLM’s Colorado River Valley and Grand Junction field offices. The UCR cooperates with other federal and state agencies, local communities, and fire departments on a wide range of activities including fuels treatments, fire prevention, and suppression.
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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.