Fire

Local Firefighters Shave Heads to Fight Childhood Cancer

March 8, 2013 by Submitted by CSTadmin

St. Baldrick’s head-shaving events have raised more than $11 million so far in 2013. Courtesy photo

Staff report

The Los Alamos Fire Department is hosting a head-shaving event to benefit childhood cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

The head-shaving event will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 16 at White Rock Fire Station 3 on N.M. 4.

Fifteen firefighters including Deputy Fire Chief Justin Grider have signed up to be shaved.

Los Alamos Firefighter and Team LAFD Treasurer James Thwaits told the Los Alamos Daily Post that he has not been cutting his hair in Read More

Los Alamos Fire Department ‘Rescues’ Trash in Canyon

March 7, 2013 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

Seizing a training opportunity, the Los Alamos County Fire Department trained cadets to repel over the edge of White Rock Canyon at Overlook Park Wednesday to collect trash dumped into the canyon illegally. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos Fire cadets prepare climbing gear to repel into White Rock Canyon Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Gordon/ladailypost.com

By BONNIE J. GORDON

Los Alamos Daily Post

While on a recent trek around White Rock, Los Alamos County Administrator Harry Burgess spotted a large amount of trash and debris dumped illegally into White Rock Canyon.

Council Approves Fire Administration Move to 999 Central

March 6, 2013 by Submitted by Staff Report

Fire Chief Troy Hughes answers Council Council questions about the new lease. Print Screen Photo

Staff report

County Council approved a new lease for Los Alamos County Fire Administration at 999 Central Ave. effective May 1.

Councilor Rick Reiss recused himself due to being a party to the lease. The Fire Department has been at its current location in the TRK Building (195 East Road) since 1994.

Reiss is the managing member and has a 25 percent ownership interest in 999 Central Ave.

Both the County Procurement Code and the New Mexico Governmental Conduct Act recognize that conflicts of interest Read More

Demolition Underway at New Beginnings Church

March 3, 2013 by Submitted by CSTadmin

Demolition crews were tearing down the fire damaged New Beginnings Fellowship Chapel at 112 East Road Friday. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com

Staff report

A morning fire destroyed the chapel of the New Beginnings Fellowship Church at 112 East Road in Los Alamos last July 4.

The blaze left a burned out shell of a building. One firefighter was injured battling the flames that had traveled up into the building’s rafters.

There were unusual circumstances surrounding the fire and a state fire marshal was called in to investigate the cause.

Last August, the fire was ruled Read More

Udall: NM to Receive $7.2 Million Reimbursement for Fire Fighting Efforts

February 26, 2013 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing more than $7.2 million to New Mexico for the state’s recent fire suppression efforts in the 2011 Track and Donaldson fires.

“As New Mexico faces this ongoing drought, we are preparing for another potentially dangerous fire season,” Udall said. “These federal grants are critical in ensuring that our state has the resources it needs to combat the wildfires that threaten our homes and ways of life.”

The Forestry

Juvenile Ignites Chicken Coop in Pajarito Acres

February 15, 2013 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

The Fire Department hauled out its big hose to feed water from a supply hydrant to a pumper truck in order to douse flames burning an abandoned chicken coop in Pajarito Acres Thursday. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com

Police blocked the roadway and the County Utility Department stood by in case it was needed. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.com

By CAROL A. CLARK

Los Alamos Daily Post

Los Alamos Firefighters knocked down flames burning an abandoned chicken coop at 140 Monte Rey South about 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Pajarito Acres in White Rock.

A juvenile playing with matches

Pile Burning at Bandelier Today

February 14, 2013 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

Bandelier News:

Weather permitting, the fire crew at Bandelier National Monument is planning a pile burn to be done today. The pile of wood debris is located in the park gravelyard, a fenced, cleared area near the park entrance along NM Hwy 4.

The burn is planned to begin about 9 a.m. and be finished by the end of the day. Although there will be only a relatively small amount of smoke, it may be visible from a wide area since the gravelyard is located on the top of the mesa.

Information about other park events and ongoing activities is available by visiting the Bandelier National

UPDATE: Workers Inadvertently Excavate Manhattan Era Ordnance – Military Arrive on Scene

February 1, 2013 by Submitted by CSTadmin

Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities contract workers excavating dirt in the Los Alamos Canyon Resevoir Thursday afternoon picked up a military ordnance in their front loader. They didn’t realize they had the volatile device until they were unloading the dirt in Bayo Canyon near the old sewer plant. Members of the Los Alamos Bomb Squad, police and firefighters responded to the scene. Police secured the area until military explosive experts from Kirtland AFB arrived this morning to render the device safe. Visit the Los Alamos Daily Post later today for more details on this developing Read More

Thank You Los Alamos Fire Department for ‘Just Doin’ Your Job’

January 30, 2013 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

Courtesy photo Read More

Chaparral Prescribed Burn Begins Today

January 24, 2013 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

SANTA FE —The Santa Fe National Forest Cuba Ranger District expects to begin the 60-acre Chaparral prescribed burn today, Jan, 24 northwest of Fenton Lake and Seven Springs, 10 miles southeast of Cuba and nine miles northwest of Jemez Springs.

Smoke will be visible from Gillman, Jemez Pueblo, Jemez Springs, Cuba, Rio Rancho and Albuquerque.

Smoke from prescribed fire can be a nuisance to some people and a health concern for others, such as children, pregnant women, senior citizens, and those suffering from allergies, asthma, chemical sensitivities, or other heart or lung diseases.

To reduce Read More