A prescribed burn in Los Griegos and Joaquin Canyon is planned for mid September. Information attached. A FS representative from the Jemez Ranger District will be coming to the annual Sierra Los Pinos meeting this Saturday to inform us on the planned burn in our community and will be available for questions.
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Prescribed Burn Planned on the Santa Fe National Forest
Santa Fe, NM – September 9, 2015 – For Immediate Release.
Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest are planning to conduct prescribed burns in Los Griegos and Joaquin Canyon on the Jemez Ranger District.
The Los Griegos prescribed burn area, a total of 131 acres, is located approximately 17 miles southwest of the city of Los Alamos and northeast of the Sierra Los Pinos community. The 330-acre Joaquin Canyon treatment area is approximately 8 miles west of Jemez Springs. The plan is to conduct both prescribed fires between September 17 and October 31, 2015, but that window is dependent on favorable conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather forecasts, and may be extended further into the fall months. Once ignitions begin, they are expected to last two to three days.
Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-adapted ecosystems. These fires mimic natural fires by reducing forest fuels, recycling nutrients and increasing habitat diversity. The Los Griegos and Joaquin Canyon prescribed burns are designed to remove dead forest fuels, provide community protection and promote forest health. Prescribed fires are managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.
Smoke from these two prescribed fires will be monitored to ensure that the New Mexico Environment Department’s Air Quality Bureau regulations are being met. Lingering smoke may be present for up to two weeks after ignitions are complete. Smoke will likely be visible from Jemez Springs, the Pueblo of Jemez, Los Alamos, Cuba, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and I-25.
Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Environment Department’s website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.
For additional information about these prescribed burns, please contact the Jemez Ranger Station at 575-829-3535.
Jemez Ranger District