Bureau of Land Management Southwest District Fire will transfer 69 excess radios to five local fire protection districts within the Southwest District, 11 of which will go to Cortez Fire Protection District.

The radios will be transferred under the BLM’s Rural Fire Readiness program, which provides essential equipment to local wildland firefighting partners at no cost.

Cooperative partnerships between the BLM, local and rural fire departments help provide effective wildfire response in remote areas on private, state and federal lands affecting grazing, recreational, wildlife and other values important to local economies.

The Rural Fire Readiness program is dedicated to enhancing the firefighting capabilities of our wildland firefighting partners, so we can continue to suppress wildland fires together safely and efficiently. Rural fire departments bring valuable knowledge of local access routes into remote areas, along with a strong motivation to protect the land.

For more information, contact Brandon Lewis at bclewis@blm.gov.