LAKEVIEW, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management is proposing a plan which would create a system of fuel breaks throughout western states to help control wildfires.
The proposal would place some 11,000 miles of fuel breaks within a 220 million-acre area including portions of Oregon, California, Idaho, Washington, Utah, and Nevada.
When a wildfire burns into a fuel break, the BLM says the flame lengths decrease and the fire is slowed, making it safer and easier for firefighters to control.
On the other hand, the agency says large swaths of land with no breaks provide a continuous supply of fuels that can result in a catastrophic wildfire.
Right now, the BLM is accepting written comments on the plan. The agency is also holding public meetings in the states which would be impacted.
The next meeting is set for Thursday, July 11 at the BLM district office in Lakeview. It will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at 1301 South G Street.
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