Community Meetings About Piño Fire
Monday at Walatowa Visitors Center
Management Activity Increases on Piño Fire
SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST
There will be two community meetings held at the Walatowa Visitor Center at Red Rocks Monday, Sept. 1, to inform the public about the Piño Fire and the Forest Service plans for managing it.
The first meeting is at 3 p.m. and the second will be at 7 p.m., according to Santa Fe National Forest Public Information Officer Donna Storch. She was at the Jemez Springs park during the Labor Day celebration, handing out information and a map of the fire area and answering questions.
Firefighting operations on the Piño Fire are gradually intensifying to take advantage of predicted favorable weather. It is expected that conditions on Tuesday, Sept. 2 will be optimal for aerial and hand ignitions to direct fire to holding and control features. Management of the wildfire is under the direction of a Type 3 Incident Management organization.
The lightning-caused fire, on Santa Fe National Forest’s Jemez Ranger District, was estimated at 132 acres Saturday. The fire is located five miles south of State Highway 4 and six miles east of Jemez Springs. The wildfire is being managed for resource benefit.
On Friday fire crews introduced fire on the ground strategically to direct the wildfire in the desired direction. Saturday, firefighters were on hand to monitor and patrol, and to take action to confine the wildfire where necessary.
Smoke will be visible from this fire, but is not expected to impact local communities at the present time. However, warmer, drier weather is predicted, and fire will become more active. The volume of smoke will increase over the next few days.
There are no road closures at this time due to fire operations. Access to the forest may be limited in some areas for a few days. Visitors are advised to expect an increase in firefighter vehicle traffic.
The Rocky Mountain Research Station Fire Lab from Missoula, Mont., and the U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center will be installing instruments over the weekend, in order to monitor fire behavior and fire effects on cultural resources. Results will help managers understand how fire may damage resources, how to protect cultural sites and how to restore fire to the landscape.
The Jemez Mountain Electric Cooperative is planning to conduct a test of the reverse 911 system. If a power outage occurs, 911 services to some local communities will be interrupted temporarily.
Those who have lost power during the fire can contact the Cooperative at 877-753-0095.