Fire

County Proclaims May ‘Mental Health Awareness Month’

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Accepting the ‘May Is Mental Health Awareness Month’ proclamation at Tuesday’s Council meeting, from left, John Whiteside, LAMC; Deni Fell, County; Carole Rutten, LANL; Christine Hazard, LAPS; Cindy Rooney, UNM-LA; Kim Gabaldon, County;  Mary Beth Maassen, LAMC; Olivia Ortega and Kristy Ortega, UWNNM; Fire Chief Troy Hughes; County Councilor Rick Reiss, Police CHief Dino Sgambellone and  Stephanie Koch, Mesa Vista Wellness. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost
 
UWNNM Executive Director Kristy Ortega speaks on behalf of the mental health awareness
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Conditions Look Good For Virgin Mesa Prescribed Burn

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SFNF News:

SANTA FE – Fire managers on the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest hope to conduct the previously announced Virgin Mesa prescribed burn this week if conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather forecasts, remain favorable.

The plan is to use hand and aerial ignitions Wednesday to treat a 600-acre unit at the southern end of Virgin Mesa.

Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-adapted ecosystems. These fires mimic natural fires by reducing forest fuels, recycling nutrients Read More

LAFD Assists Rescue Of Dog Stranded On Cliff Ledge

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Smiley the stranded dog looking forlorn as he awaits rescue. Courtesy/LAFD
 
Los Alamos Firefighter Sam Meyersick places a harness on Smiley. Courtesy/LAFD
 
Los Alamos Firefighter Aaron Williams, left, gets ready to take Smiley to the top as Firefighter Sam Meyersick looks on. Courtesy/LAFD
 
Happy to be rescued, Smiley joins, from left, LAFD Capt. Gerard Coriz, Firefighter Aaron Williams, Firefighter Sam Meyersick and Capt. Manny Pacheco. Courtesy/LAFD
 
By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

Los Alamos Fire Department took their newest heavy rescue truck

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Forest Service Plea To Visitors: Put Out Your Campfire

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SFNF News:
 
SANTA FE ― For the second weekend in a row, irresponsible campers left multiple unattended and abandoned campfires on the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF). 
 
Luckily, 11 still-burning campfires were discovered and extinguished before they could spark or spread.
 
But with the fire danger level on the SFNF at HIGH and most of northern and central New Mexico under a fire weather watch, it takes very little for a campfire to become a human-caused wildfire, putting lives and property at unnecessary risk. 
 
Current
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Bandelier National Monument Seeks Public Input On Fire Management Plan

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Prescription fire underway in Frijoles Canyon at Bandelier National Monument. Courtesy/NPS
 
BNM News:
 
Bandelier National Monument has announced that the park is re-initiating a planning effort to prepare a new Fire Management Plan and Environmental Assessment. 
 
The resulting plan will guide the full range of wildland fire program activities that will support land and resource management objectives. In 2013, Bandelier solicited public feedback regarding this Fire Management Plan. Now Bandelier is re-opening the public comment period in order to include
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Coyote Ranger District Prescribed Burns Postponed

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SFNF News:
 
SANTA FE ― Fire managers on the Coyote Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest have postponed the previously announced Mesa Poleo and Gallina Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) prescribed burns that were tentatively scheduled for this week due to forecasted weather, including high winds and precipitation.
 
Fire managers closely monitor conditions before, during and after prescribed burns. If conditions change and are no longer optimal for prescribed burning, plans are cancelled or postponed. Fire crews on the Coyote Ranger District
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LAFD’s Proposed Budget Tentatively Approved

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Los Alamos Fire Chief Troy Hughes and Management Analyst of Finance and Budget Heather Garcia present the fire department’s $30,360,474 budget Monday night in Council Chambers. Council voted 7-0 to tentatively approve the budget. In the presentation, Hughes reported a number of acheivements in his department including continous improvement to EMS delivery through collaboration with other jurisdictions nationwide. He reported overall patient satisfaction for EMS services is 93.28 percent. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com Read More

SFNF: Cuba Ranger District Plans To Conduct Moya Prescribed Burn

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SFNF News:

SANTA FE – Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest hope to conduct the previously announced Moya prescribed burn over two days next week if conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather forecasts, remain favorable.

The treatment area for the Moya prescribed burn is 3,371 acres west of the community of LLaves and north of Lindrith. The plan is to begin ignitions Tuesday, April 25, and complete the burn Wednesday. 

Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-adapted ecosystems. These fires Read More

SFNF Fire Crews Meet Objectives On Watershed Prescribed Burn

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SFNF News:
 
SANTA FE ― Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) said that the prescribed burn implemented one week ago in the Santa Fe Municipal Watershed successfully met objectives, removing heavy fuels to reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire and restore the landscape to historic conditions.
 
Although aerial and hand ignitions were completed April 11, the 340-acre treatment area still has a few interior pockets of fuel that are smoldering, which may create visible smoke in the Santa Fe metro area. Fire crews are monitoring the treatment
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