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<br />CHAPTER II <br /> <br />. Utilize appropriate suppression actions which will avoid <br />all unnecessary impairment of wilderness values and <br />is consistent with Interim Management Policy. <br /> <br />In prescribed fire zones, the objective is to use planned <br />and unplanned ignition meet the objectives of other resources, <br />such as livestock and wildlife for the use of fire to improve <br />vegetative conditions. <br /> <br />Planned Actions <br /> <br />Maximum suppression will be used on areas with high <br />resource values, structures, commercial forest, oil and gas <br />developments, cultural values, improvements, etc. Buffer <br />areas near or adjacent to critical management areas for <br />threatened, endangered and candidate species, Colorado <br />BLM sensitive plant species, and research natural areas <br />(RNAs), will require full protection. Maximum suppression <br />will be used in other areas to prevent fire from spreading <br />to adjacent private property/structures. <br /> <br />Conditional fire suppression will be used in areas with <br />resources oflow value or that do not warrant full suppression <br />actions and/or high suppression costs. Fires in the Douglas <br />Mountain area [five Dinosaur adjacent wilderness study areas <br />(WSAs) Diamond Breaks WSA, West Cold Spring WSA, <br />and Cross Mountain WSA] will be handled under this <br />strategy. <br /> <br />Prescribed fire will be used to improve resource habitat, <br />condition, etc. Both planned and unplanned fires will be <br />used. <br /> <br />Resource Condition and Rationale <br /> <br />The Craig District Fire Management Plan provides <br />gnidance for proper management of wildfires in the Little <br />Snake Resource Area. The plan will permit the option of <br />immediate suppression in areas requiring full protection or <br />allow a conditional response in areas where desired resource <br />benefits will occur. <br /> <br />Implementation Priorities <br /> <br />None identified <br /> <br />Monitoring <br /> <br />All fires will be monitored for resource damage and <br />reclamation will be planned accordingly. All fire reclamation <br />will be monitored to determine success. <br /> <br />Support <br /> <br />Support will be required from the Western Slope Fire <br />Operations, U. S. Forest Service, Moffat and Routt counties, <br />and Colorado State Forest Service for presuppression <br />planning and suppression activities. Support will be needed <br />from other resource specialists to assess impacts of proposed <br />projects and identify mitigative measures, if needed. <br /> <br />Wilderness <br /> <br />Objectives <br /> <br />To determine the suitability or non-suitability of eight <br />wilderness study areas (WSAs) for wilderness designation. <br /> <br />Planned Actions <br /> <br />I. The Diamond Breaks WSA will be recommended as <br />preliminarily suitable for wilderness designation (Table <br />6). If Congress does not designate Diamond Breaks <br />as wilderness, the Colorado portion of the WSA <br />(31,480 acres) would be managed as a recreation <br />management unit; the Utah portion (3,900 acres) would <br />be managed by the Vemal District according to existing <br />management framework plans. (See the Draft RMP / <br />EIS Wilderness Technical Supplement, Diamond <br />Breaks No Wilderness Alternative for more detailed <br />discussion.) <br /> <br />TABLE 6 <br /> <br />WILDERNESS SUITABILITY ACREAGES <br /> <br />Wilderness Study Area <br /> <br />Pretiminarly <br />Suitable <br />Acres <br /> <br />Nonsuitable <br />Acres <br /> <br />West Cold Spring <br />Diamond Breaks <br />Cross Mountain <br /> <br />Dinosaur Adjacent North WSAs <br />AntHills <br />Chew Winter Camp <br />Peterson Draw <br />Tepee Draw <br />Vale ofTears <br /> <br />Total <br /> <br />o <br />36,240 . <br />14,08\ <br /> <br />17,682 <br />340 <br />o <br /> <br />o <br />o <br />o <br />o <br />o <br />50,321 <br /> <br />4,354 <br />1,320 <br />5,160 <br />5,490 <br />7,420 <br />41,766 <br /> <br />. 1,200 acres added to enhance manageability. <br /> <br />22 <br />