Fire

SFNF: 150 Acres Completed On Borrego Mesa Burn

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SFNF News:
 
SANTA FE ― Fire managers on the Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) completed 150 acres of a 200 acre broadcast burn Tuesday on the Borrego Mesa fuelwood unit.
 
The broadcast burn reduces the risk of high-severity wildfire. The treatment area consists of slash left behind from wood cutting.
 
The remaining 50 acres are expected to be completed sometime between early November and Dec. 31.
 
The area is approximately five miles East of Cordova, and five miles South of Truchas. Smoke may be visible from Santa Fe, Espanola, Tesuque, Truchas,
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SFNF: Borrego Mesa Prescribed Burn Underway

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SFNF News:
 
SANTA FE ― Due to favorable conditions, fire managers on the Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) began a broadcast burn on the Borrego Mesa fuelwood unit today.
 
Favorable conditions, such as acceptable fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather forecasts, will allow up to 200 acres on the Borrego Mesa fuelwood unit to be treated anytime between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2.
 
Fire managers plan to target heavier slash left behind from wood cutting to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire.
 
The area is located approximately five
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Prescribed Fire Innovation: All Hands All Lands Burn Team Completes Work In Taos Ski Valley, Carson National Forest

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SFNF News:

SANTA FE – The USDA Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy’s Rio Grande Water Fund and the Forest Stewards Guild have worked together for more than a month using prescribed fire across more than 2,900 acres to protect water sources, wildlife, and forests while reducing wildfire risk.

These forests are adapted to fire and need low-intensity burns to remain healthy. The All Hands All Lands Burn Team (Burn Team) is a fully qualified team designed to lead prescribed burns or support others in burning across a variety of land jurisdictions. This is an innovative step forward to create resilient Read More

Walking A Day In A Firefighter’s Shoes

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Los Alamos Daily Post Reporter Kirsten Laskey, center, with other participants during the LAFD’s Firefighter for a Day program. LAFD/Courtesy
 
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

It’s amazing what can be learned when you put your feet in another person’s shoes. Particularly if those shoes are thick-soled, rubber black boots. Just trying to shove your feet down into them requires a good deal of stamina. Once your feet fit in, however, where those shoes can take you will astound and amaze.

Early Saturday morning about 20 people ranging from laboratory Read More

Jemez Ranger District Joaquin Piles Burn Begins Today

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SFNF News:

SANTA FE – Fire managers on the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) expect to begin ignitions today on piles that will reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire.

Fire managers will take advantage of favorable conditions, to include fuel moisture levels, air quality, weather forecasts and recent precipitation.

Should the weather permit this morning, crews will treat up to 230 acres of the Joaquin piles.

The Joaquin piles area is 6.5 miles north of Gilman, just south of Porter Landing. Smoke may be visible from Cuba, Jemez Pueblo, Jemez Springs, N.M. 4, San Ysidro Read More

Borrego Mesa Prescribed Burn Changed To Oct. 25

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Scene from a previous prescribed burn. Courtesy/SFNF

SFNF News:

SANTA FE  – Fire managers on the Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) anticipate a broadcast burn on the Borrego Mesa fuelwood unit as early as Thursday, Oct. 25.

Conditions were not favorable enough for the anticipated start date of Oct. 22; therefore, should favorable conditions allow, to include acceptable fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather forecasts, up to 200 acres on the Borrego Mesa fuelwood unit may be treated anytime between Oct. 25 and Nov. 2.

Fire managers plan to target heavier Read More

Los Alamos Citizens Are Firefighters For A Day

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Most days they’re County Councilors, scientists, school employees, County staffers or reporters, but Saturday they were firefighters for a day at the LAFD training facility on DP Road. The Los Alamos County Fire Department provided around 25 locals, including Los Alamos Daily Post Reporter Kirsten Laskey, an opportunity to suit up and find out what it is like to be a firefighter. Here, one of the participants climbs the training tower. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
 
Going up the tower. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
 
The crew hoists the climber
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SFNF: Borrego Mesa Prescribed Burn Oct. 22

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SFNF News:
 
SANTA FE ― If favorable conditions allow, to include acceptable fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather forecasts, fire managers on the Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) may begin a broadcast burn on the Borrego Mesa fuelwood unit as early as Monday, Oct. 22.
 
Up to 200 acres on the Borrego Mesa fuelwood unit may be treated with a focus on heavier slash left by wood cutting to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire.   
 
The area is approximately five miles East of Cordova, and five miles South of Truchas. Smoke
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BLM Taos Field Office Plans Prescribed Burns Near Tres Piedras And Cerro Areas

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BLM News:

TAOS – The Bureau of Land Management will conduct prescribed fires in the Río Grande del Norte National Monument during an approximate one-month period, beginning Oct. 22.

The burns are at Cerro Montoso and Cerro del Aire, 12 miles northeast and 4 miles northeast of Tres Piedras, respectively, and in the Guadalupe Mountains, approximately 1 mile south of Cerro.

Smoke may be visible from the surrounding communities, the monument, and highways N.M. 522, US 285 and US 64. Timing of the burns is dependent upon weather and burning conditions.

The purpose of the project is to improve forest Read More

BLM Begins San Pedro Thinning Project

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San Pedro area hazardous fuels thinning begins around Oct. 17. Courtesy/BLM
BLM News:
 
TAOS – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin hazardous fuels thinning in the San Pedro area beginning around Oct. 17 and carry on until Nov. 30.
 
The thinning project is expected to take 2-6 weeks; however, the exact timing is subject to weather and ground conditions.
 
The San Pedro fuels reduction project is located on BLM lands on the south side of N.M. 344, approximately one mile east of the intersection of N.M. 14 and N.M. Thinning and piling will be conducted on Township 12N Range
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