Fire

Survey Says … County Gets Strong Marks Overall

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Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone, left, and Fire Chief Troy Hughes and their departments receive high marks from the community in a recent County Survey. Courtesy/LAC

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

Last year Los Alamos County surveyed residents on how they thought local government is doing. The County recently released the survey results and overall, residents gave the County strong marks.

The survey is conducted biannually, Los Alamos County Public Information Officer Julie Habiger said. The 2020 survey had about 600 participants, who were Read More

SFNF: Cuba District Plans Pile Burns To Reduce Fuels

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Fire managers on the Cuba Ranger District plan prescribed pile burns between now and March 31 to reduce fuels, restore wildlife habitat and improve forest health. Courtesy/SFNF

SFNF News:

SANTA FE – Fire managers on the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) are looking for optimal windows to implement planned prescribed pile burns between now and March 31 to reduce fuels, restore wildlife habitat and improve forest health.

The planned units are the 379-acre Ojitos pile burn a mile east of the Rancho del Chaparral Girl Scout Camp and the 90-acre Poso/Sanchez pile burn east Read More

Bandelier National Monument Plans Winter Prescribed Burns  

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Prescribed pile burns are starting as early as Wednesday, Jan. 6 at Bandelier. Courtesy/NPS

BANDELIER News:

The National Park Service plans to implement prescribed pile burns in Bandelier National Monument starting as early as Wednesday, Jan. 6, and continuing through the end of winter as conditions allow or until completion.

The prescribed burns will occur in previously thinned areas where materials have been piled for burning.

The burn operations will be completed in phases over several days depending on weather and fuel conditions.  

The purpose of these burns is to reduce hazardous Read More

On The Job In Los Alamos: Firefighters, Police, Emergency Dispatchers Working To Keep The Community Safe

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Los Alamos County Firefighters on the job keeping the community safe during Christmas week, from left, Daniel Sanchez, Shane Grano, Roberto Ortega, Christopher Salinas, Zach Schriver, Luke Washburn, Adrian Martinez, Adam Martinez and Joel Peltier at Fire Station 3 in White Rock. Photo by Jenn Bartram/ladailypost.com

Cpl. Amos Smith on the job keeping the community safe. Photo by Jenn Bartram/ladailypost.com

Dispatcher II Susie Feiertag, left, and Dispatcher I Jourdin Beaulieu at the Los Alamos Police Department. Photo by Jenn Bartram/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos firefighters, from Read More

Los Alamos Fire Department Awarded International Accredited Agency Status With CFAI

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Gathered in a virtual format Tuesday to answer questions from CFAI, from left, Management Analyst Xavier Anderson, Deputy Fire Chief Steve Dawald, Accreditation Manager Norma Jean Valdez, Fire Chief Troy Hughes and IAFF Local 3279 President Bertram Quintana. Courtesy/LAFD

LAFD News:

The Los Alamos County Fire Department has received Accredited Agency status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) for meeting the criteria established through the CFAI’s voluntary self-assessment and accreditation program.

The Los Alamos Fire Department is one of 280 agencies Read More

SFNF Looking For Window To Implement La Cueva, East Rowe Mesa Prescribed Burns Dec. 14, 2020-March 31, 2021

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SFNF News:

SANTA FE — Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) are looking at a potential window between Dec. 14, 2020 and March 31, 2021, to implement the previously announced burns to reduce the risk of wildfire.

The 133-acre La Cueva pile burn approximately 5 miles west of Pecos on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District is designed to remove woody debris from a previously thinned area. Winter is an optimal time to burn slash piles because snow on the ground keeps the fire from spreading to adjacent vegetation.

Generally, pile burns produce less smoke and burn with less intensity than Read More

Los Alamos County Asks For Help To Prevent Trash Fires

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Materials such as hot ashes and lithium batteries can cause trash fires. Courtesy/LAC

COUNTY News:

What residents throw into their trash can ignite and have devastating results. Materials such as hot ashes and lithium batteries are items that can cause trash fires in trash roll carts at the Eco Station or landfill.

Residents can help Los Alamos County prevent fires by disposing of hot ashes and lithium batteries properly.

People often misjudge how long it takes hot ashes to fully extinguish. The best way to ensure hot ashes are ready for disposal is to douse the ashes thoroughly with water before Read More

SFNF: Hyde Park, Cat Mesa Pile Burns A Go Today

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SFNF News:

SANTA FE – After successful test ignitions, crews are proceeding with the previously announced Hyde Park and Cat Mesa pile burns today to reduce the amount of hazardous fuels on the ground.

The recent winter storm that moved through New Mexico helped create optimal conditions to burn slash piles. Snow on the ground keeps the fire from spreading to adjacent vegetation. Generally, pile burns produce less smoke and burn with less intensity than broadcast burns across a larger landscape.

The 132-acre Hyde Park pile burn near Black Canyon Campground on the Española Ranger District and Read More

SFNF May Implement Hyde Park, Thompson Ridge Burns

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SFNF News:

Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) are looking at a potential window this week to implement the previously announced Hyde Park and Thompson Ridge prescribed pile burns to reduce the risk of wildfire.

The 132-acre Hyde Park pile burn near Black Canyon Campground on the Española Ranger District is designed to remove woody debris from a previously thinned area within the footprint of the Greater Santa Fe Fireshed. 

The 1-acre Thompson Ridge slash pit prescribed burn is a collaborative effort between the Jemez Ranger District and the surrounding area to promote fire-adapted Read More

AGU: Area Burned By Severe Fire Increases 8-fold In Western U.S. Forests Over Last Four Decades

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Howe Ridge Fire in Montana’s Glacier National Park, seen Aug. 12, 2018 from across Lake McDonald, roughly 24 hours after the fire was started by a lightning strike. Courtesy/Glacier National Park

AGU News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The number of wildfires and the amount of land they consume in the western U.S. has substantially increased since the 1980s, a trend often attributed to ongoing climate change.

Now, new research finds fires are not only becoming more common in the western U.S. but the area burned at high severity is also increasing, a trend that may lead to long-term forest loss.

The new findings Read More