Fire

Hazardous Fuels Treatment in Forest Begins Jan. 8

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SNFN News:

The Santa Fe National Forest Fire Management plans a 20-acre hazardous fuels treatment on the Forest for January and February.

Santa Fe Watershed, Espanola Ranger District:

  • Approximately 20 acres of piles are to be treated at any point in time in the Santa Fe Watershed from Tuesday, Jan. 8 through the end of February, if conditions are favorable;
  • The pile burn location is approximately six miles east of Santa Fe, one mile east of McClure Reservoir;
  • The pile burn is expected to take place while snow is on the ground, which will help keep smoke levels low;
  • Smoke from the burning activities
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Twelve Holiday Fire Horrors

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STATE FARM News:
 
The holiday season is the time of year when most people are thinking about shopping for gifts, office parties and spending time with family and friends.
 
Sadly, this is also the time when home fires peak. Approximately one-third of home fires and home fire deaths occur during December, January and February.
 
State Farm® reminds consumers that the potential for a home fire is highest during the winter months.
 
A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that nearly 50 percent of Americans age 23 and over increased their chances of a home fire
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NNSA, Los Alamos County Revised Fire Protection Agreement a Win-Win

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Shaking hands recently on a modified Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement are from left, LASO’s Kevin Smith, Fire Chief Troy Hughes and County Administrator Harry Burgess. Courtesy/LAC

NNSA/COUNTY News:

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) recently modified the Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement to ensure world-class emergency response capabilities for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Los Alamos County.

County Administrator Harry Burgess and Manager Kevin Smith of NNSA’s Los Alamos Site Office signed Read More

World’s First Hazard Scale Created for Wildland Fires

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Figure 1. Matrix for Capturing Exposure from Wildland Fuels. One side of the matrix represents the four types of fuel sources considered: homogeneous surface fuels (such as prairie grasses), inhomogeneous surface fuels (such as palmetto), inhomogeneous shrubs and low vegetation (such as chaparral) and canopied forest (such as the forests of pine, cedar, juniper or aspen found in the intermountain west region between the Rockies and the Sierra Madre/Cascades.) The other two sides of the matrix represent three types of topography (ravine, slope and flat) and three local weather conditions Read More

SFNF to Burn 3,500 Acres of Hazardous Fuels

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SFNF News:

Fire managers plan to begin ignitions Tuesday, Dec. 11 within the Coyote Ranger District to treat hazardous fuels with prescribed fire.

The total acreage includes Mesa Camino and Gallina WUI prescribed burn project areas. Depending on conditions, either one or the other project area will be treated next week.

This is an ongoing project that began 10 years ago. Approximately 75 percent of the project has been completed in prior treatments.

Gallina WUI, Mesa Camino, Coyote Ranger District:

  • Approximately 50 to 100 acres are to be treated per day when conditions are favorable
  • The broadcast
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LAFD Issues Holiday and Christmas Tree Fire Safety Tips

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LAFD News:

The Los Alamos Fire Department would like to share the following Holiday and Christmas Tree Fire Safety Tips with the community.

Decorating homes and businesses is a long-standing tradition around the holiday season.

Unfortunately, these same decorations may increase your chances of fire.

Following a few simple fire safety tips can keep electric lights, candles and the ever popular Christmas tree from creating a tragedy.

  • Don’t put your live Christmas tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks.
  • Place trees away from heat sources, including fireplaces or heat vents.
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Dishwasher Ignites On Orange Street

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 The remains of a dishwasher that reportedly sparked a fire inside an Orange Street duplex Friday, lays in a heap in the front yard of the residence. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

Los Alamos Firefighters responded to a dishwasher fire at about 1 p.m., Friday in a duplex at 3064 Orange St.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the small blaze. No injuries were reported but there is heavy smoke damage to the Orange Street duplex and fire damage in the kitchen area.

The cause of the dishwasher fire is under investigation.

Dangerous Appliance Advisory

Consumer Reports Magazine Read More

Potential Hazards Lurk in Las Conchas Burn Area

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SFNF News:

The Santa Fe National Forest reminds the public that certain areas of the Las Conchas Fire area are open, however, some areas remain closed due to safety hazardous.

Standing burnt trees that could fall on vehicles pose a significant risk to anyone driving on roads that have not been cleared of these hazards.

Vehicle camping is not permitted off designated open roads.

What’s Closed

  • FR 287
  • FR 500

What’s Open

  • FR 10
  • FR 36
  • FR 270
  • FR 266
  • FR 268 (N.M. 4 to Cochiti Mesa)
  • FR 280
  • FR 281
  • FR 282
  • FR 289

In the Las Conchas burn area, motor vehicles may travel on designated open roads only. Pedestrians and non-motorized Read More

Santa Fe National Forest Fire Management Notification

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Observing a prescribed fire’s progress from the top of an amphibious vehicle. Courtesy/USFWS

SFNF News:

Beginning tomorrow through Friday, as conditions are favorable, fire managers plan to begin the Mesa Camino and Southeast Barbero Prescribed Burns.

Prescribed burns are conducted when specific conditions and criteria align to allow fire managers to safely conduct the burn, while achieving desired objectives.

Conditions include: temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation and conditions for effective smoke dispersion.

Coyote Ranger District, Mesa Camino Read More

Truck Engine Ignites at White Rock Baptist Church

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Los Alamos firefighters snuffed out an engine fire that ignited under the hood of a 1978 GMC K-1500 in the White Rock Baptist Church parking lot on N.M. 4 this morning. Kevin Carpenter of NGC Painting and Decorating lives next door to the church. He had borrowed the truck from his dad and was trying to roll start it because a thief had broken into it and damaged the key device. Carpenter noticed smoke so he raised the hood and discovered the engine covered in flames. He guessed an electrical spark ignited gasoline, he said, adding that firefighters arrived quickly and knocked out the blaze in a couple Read More