Public Safety

Santa Fe National Forest, Valles Caldera and Los Alamos County Fire Restrictions

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UPDATED FIRE RESTRICTIONS

Los Alamos County Fire and Smoking Restrictions
Effective June 1, 2012

Building, maintaining or using an open fire is prohibited on all Los Alamos County lands except within developed campsites (concrete pad with metal fire ring), metal grills using charcoal or propane are acceptable on North Mesa campgrounds, at Overlook Park and at any park within Los Alamos County.

Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3-feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. Read More

College-Educated Officers Comprise Majority at Los Alamos Police Department

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The Los Alamos Police Department set up a static display of its vehicles and equipment for inspection by the state accreditation assessment team in 2010, at which time its administration, operations, personnel and training procedures passed compliance with state standards. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

The standards required to join the ranks of the Los Alamos County Police Department are stringent when measured against police departments around the country.

“We have such high expectations of our people that applicants who would have been hired elsewhere are not hired Read More

East Road/NM502 Gas Line Replacement and Reinforcement Begins this Week

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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES News:

Gas line replacement and reinforcement work on East Road/NM502, from Tewa Loop to Airport Road, begins this week with most work confined to the shoulder of the roadway.

Drivers in the area are asked to use caution while this work is underway this summer.

In the coming weeks there will be greater traffic impacts as a lane closure will be required in order to safely execute the project.  
 
Notifications of such traffic impacts will be provided in advance.
 
For continuing updates, visit https:////www.losalamosnm.us/projects/utilities/Pages/EastRoadNM502GasLineReplacement.aspx
Read More

Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire Grows to 170,272 Acres

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NEW MEXICO STATE FORESTRY News:

Raging fire is visible from Forest Road 141. Photo by Steven Meister, Mt. Tayloyr Hotshots. Courtesy/USFS Gila National Forest

The Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire has grown to 170,272 acres, which makes it the largest fire in New Mexico history. Last summer’s Las Conchas fire burned 156,293 acres.

The fire has continued to spread in all directions as it remains active on more than 95 percent of the perimeter.

Firefighters are working on the line around the fire to provide the buffer needed to minimize the spread.

Burnout operations on the north side of the Read More

Five Coyotes Attack Local Pets

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By Wendee Brunish

Photo by Ty Smedes

I wanted to let folks know that Calli (55-pound Labrador Retriever) was attacked by five coyotes in Bayo Canyon.

Steve Becker was walking with her and his dog Fido at about 7 p.m., Wednesday when the attack occurred.

They were on the north side of the canyon near the coyote watering hole when the coyotes appeared from the south side of the canyon.

Soon all hell broke loose.

Fortunately, two mountain bikers appeared and helped chase off the coyotes, and Steve was able to retrieve the two dogs.

Fido escaped with a couple of scratches, but Calli (5 years old) got a deep Read More

Los Alamos Police Blotter: May 17 to May 23, 2012

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The following information is provided by the Los Alamos Police Department.

Neither arrests nor charges indicate a conviction, and neither means that a person is guilty of the charges filed against them.

 

 

JERRY GALLEGOS

May 17 at 3:15 p.m. / Police arrested Jerry Gallegos, 46, of Los Alamos near Diamond Drive and Ridgeway Drive on an outstanding District Court Warrant.

 

 

 

 

SONJA MARTINEZ

May 18 at 5:22 p.m. / Police arrested Sonja Martinez, 34, of Los Alamos near 20th Street and Deacon Street and charged her with driving while her license is suspended or revoked. Read More

Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire Update

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NEW MEXICO STATE FORESTRY News:

Fire Facts:

Date Started: 05/16/2012 Number of Personnel: 907 personnel including
Location: Approximately 15 miles E of Glenwood, NM 11 hotshot crews, 10 hand crews
Cause: Lightning Equipment: 39 Engines, 19 Water Tenders, 6 Dozers
Size: 122,388 Aircraft: 5 Helicopters
Percent Contained: 0 Injuries to Date: Five

Special Announcement The Gila National Forest has reported a new fire approximately 15 miles northeast of Reserve near Aragon, N.M.

Fire crews and helicopters are providing assistance with initial attack efforts on the Wagon Tongue Fire.

Read More

CCW Keeps Bad Guys Guessing

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By Carol A. Clark

As strange as it may seem, walking down Central Avenue carrying a loaded pistol in plain sight is perfectly legal. It only becomes illegal if the bearer holsters that gun beneath an overcoat or otherwise hides it from plain view.

New Mexico is an “Open Carry State,” meaning it is legal to carry a loaded weapon as long as it is not concealed.

At the same time, New Mexico law does allow a person to conceal a loaded firearm in his or her vehicle, including motorcycles and bicycles, according to the New Mexico Department of Public Safety.

In New Mexico, a person’s car Read More

Evacuation of Mogollon Underway

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NEW MEXICO STATE FORESTRY News:

Situation:  An evacuation of Mogollon has been ordered by the Catron County Sheriff’s Office effective noon today.

Evacuees will be sheltered at the Glenwood Community Center located on Community Center Road with their small pets.

Large animals can be relocated to a temporary animal collection center at the residence of County Commissioner Hube McKeen.

Tony Sciacca’s Southwest Type 1 Fire Management Team has assumed command of the complex as of this morning.

The Incident Command Post is now set up and located at the Reserve Fair Grounds. Read More

Local Smoke Blowing in from Arizona Fires

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Image: NASA Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team

Los Alamos Daily Post Staff Report

There are no fires in the Los Alamos and surrounding areas.

Deputy Fire Chief Justin Grider said this morning that winds are carrying smoke from the fires burning in Arizona right over the townsite.

Smoke from Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire Affecting 6 States

By NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Rob Gutro

The Whitewater-Baldy Complex fires burning and rugged terrain in the Gila National Forest in western New Mexico have been generating a lot of smoke. The smoke has now been swept up by a cold front pushing through Read More