U.S. Department of the InteriorOffice of the Secretary For Immediate Release: May 17, 2000 Contact: Mike Gauldin,
John Wright (202) 208-6416 Secretary Babbitt Names Independent Panel
to Review Los Alamos Fire Investigation Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today named an independent review board of fire and management experts to examine the findings that will be presented by the team investigating the wildfire near Los Alamos, New Mexico.* The investigating team's report is due Thursday, May 18. The review committee includes federal and non-federal government representatives. The panel will review the preliminary findings of the investigating team. Members of the review panel are: Mike Long, Assistant Director, State of Florida Division of Forestry.
Paul DeClay, Forest Manager, White Mountain Apache Tribe
Elaine Zielinski, Oregon State Director for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Lyle Laverty - Regional Forester for the U.S. Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Region. The panel is to submit its report to the Secretary by Friday, May 26.The fire began May 4 as an attempt to reduce flammable underbrush at Bandelier National Monument. On May 5 it escaped control and has since burned several thousand acres, including more than 200 homes in the town of Los Alamos. Last week, Secretary Babbitt ordered the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, to assemble an investigative team to determine how the blaze got out of control. - DOI - * (Note to editors: The official name of the fire is "Cerro Grande Fire.")
U.S. Department of the Interior |