Fire

Contract Awarded To U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers For Advance Measures In San Miguel And Mora Counties

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USACE News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Albuquerque District, awarded a $4.1 million contract July 15, to implement additional measures to protect key critical infrastructure in San Miguel and Mora counties, in response to the recent damage caused by the local wildfires.

This was an 8(a) Sole Source procurement contract awarded to Kha’P’o Construction Services, Inc., based in Española.

The contractor plans to use jetty jacks and Geobrugg debris flow barriers to protect key critical infrastructures. The Geobrugg barriers are in the design and Read More

Calf Canyon & Hermits Peak Fires: Firefighters Are Mending Fences, Roads & Relationships

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Map of the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires. Courtesy/SFNF 

SFNF News:

Working hand in hand with private landowners, fire crews are fixing fences, repairing roads, seeding, chipping, and removing vegetation with great perseverance and fortitude. A break in the weather over the past two days has allowed firefighters to move further into the fire perimeter and make progress in areas previously impacted by the rain. 

Details:

  • Acres: 341,735
  • Containment: 93 percent
  • Total personnel: 667
  • Start Date: Hermits Peak: April 6; Calf Canyon: April 19
  • Cause: Hermits Peak: Spot fires from prescribed
Read More

SFNF Hiring Temporary Workforce For 2023 Fire Season

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Courtesy/SFNF

SFNF News:

SANTA FE — Join the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and be a part of an organization that is “committed to caring for the land and serving people.”

The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) is hiring temporary positions in fire for the 2023 season, including engine crews, Santa Fe Hotshots, helitack crews and dispatch.

Proposed start dates would be late March/early April 2023.

Applications are only accepted through www.usajobs.gov July 27-Aug. 3. Review the job announcement carefully for deadlines and required information to include in Read More

USFS Releases Cerro Pelado Post-Fire Baer Assessment

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SFNF News:

SANTA FE — The Forest Service–Santa Fe National Forest (USFS) completed its BAER post-fire assessment of the Cerro Pelado burned area and affected watersheds to determine their response, soil conditions, potential threats, and recommended BAER emergency stabilization measures and actions on National Forest System (NFS) lands.

BAER emergency treatments and activities are designed to decreased possible impacts to critical values from the burned areas during rainstorm events such as: life and safety, property, critical natural resources, and cultural resources. Read More

SFNF: Winsor Trail Scheduled To Close July 25-27

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Courtesy/SFNF

SFNF News:

SANTA FE — The Española Ranger District on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) will close a 1-mile segment of the Winsor Trail just south of Forest Road (FR) 102, July 25-27, to provide for public safety during fuels reduction thinning activities in partnership with the Pueblo of Tesuque.

Trail guards will be posted to prevent forest visitors from entering the area while the work is completed. Mountain bikers and hikers will not be able to follow the Winsor Trail from Ski Santa Fe to Tesuque on those days.

The 145 acre thinning project, funded under the Reserve Treaty Rights Read More

SFNF: Additional Crews Arrive To Bolster Suppression Repair Efforts – Hermits Peak & Calf Canyon Fire

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Map of the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires. Courtesy/SFNF 

SFNF News:

Firefighters are “taking great pride” in helping the private landowners with their suppression repair needs. As additional requests are received, crews continue to respond wherever needs are identified. Over the weekend, 8 crews, 3 Type 6 engines, and heavy equipment arrived to support and strengthen fire suppression repair efforts. 

Details:

  • Acres: 341,735
  • Containment: 93 percent
  • Total personnel: 656
  • Start Date: Hermits Peak: April 6, 2022; Calf Canyon: April 19, 2022
  • Cause: Hermits Peak: Spot fires from prescribed
Read More

New Mexico Governor Orders Flags To Half-Staff In Mourning For Four First Responders Killed In Helicopter Crash

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STATE News:

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered all flags to half-staff  through sundown Friday, July 22, in the state of New Mexico in mourning for four Bernalillo County first responders killed Saturday in a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crash.

Undersheriff Larry Koren, Lieutenant Fred Beers and Deputy Michael Levinson, all of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and Bernalillo County Fire Department Rescue Specialist Matthew King were killed in a helicopter crash in the line of duty July 16 while assisting with firefighting efforts in San Miguel Read More

Monsoons Bring Lightning-Caused Fire Starts Across SFNF

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St. John’s Trail on Atalaya Mountain in the Santa Fe National Forest. Courtesy/alltrailusers

SFNF News:

SANTA FE – A lightning-caused fire start on the east slope of Atalaya Mountain was one of five natural ignitions on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) Friday, an indication that the 2022 wildfire season is not over yet.

The monsoonal weather patterns that bring much-needed moisture also bring lightning, which can easily ignite drought-stressed trees and other vegetation.

Smoke was reported around 11 a.m. Friday from the Atalaya Fire burning in ponderosa pine and grasses. Two engines Read More

Lightning Strike Ignites Dead Tree Behind Quemazon

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At about 12:45 p.m. Thursday, lightning struck a dead tree behind Quemazon in upper Pueblo Canyon. Despite the rainstorm, a small fire started that was still burning at 8 a.m. today. Los Alamos Fire Department firefighters responded to the scene at about 1:15 a.m. today and monitored the fire throughout the night. This morning, firefighters took down the tree and extinguished the small fire. Photo by Tracy Erkkila
Scene from firefighters taking down a dead tree struck by lightning overnight and extinguishing the small fire this morning that ensued. Photo by Tracy Erkkila
Scene from firefighters
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SFNF: Firefighters Prioritize Suppression Repair On Private Lands – Hermits Peak & Calf Canyon Fire

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Map of the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires. Courtesy/SFNF 

SFNF News:

Using the Private Land Suppression Repair Survey, residents have submitted requests for firefighter assistance on over 500 properties around the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire area.

The incident management team is prioritizing suppression repair activities on these private lands to assist the local communities, with additional resources arriving over the next several days to support this mission.

As suppression repair actions are completed, the incident management team notifies local landowners to confirm Read More