SANTA FE, NM – Oct. 5, 2017 – For Immediate Release. Fire managers on the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest hope to take advantage of favorable fall conditions to conduct prescribed burns as early as Monday, Oct. 16. That window is dependent on favorable conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather forecasts.
The primary target is a planned broadcast burn on the 1,950-acre Stable unit located about 5 miles northwest of Jemez Springs, 8 miles north of Gilman and 6 miles west of La Cueva.
Additional projects fire managers are considering for this fall include:
Vallecitos unit: a combination of piles and broadcast burning totaling approximately 480 acres adjacent to the East Fork trailhead and NM Highway 4
Los Griegos unit: approximately 130 acres of hillside slash on the north side of Los Griegos Peak
Joaquin unit: approximately 1,100 acres of piles 5 miles northwest of Gilman along Forest Road 376
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. Prescribed fires are managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.
Smoke from these prescribed burns is likely to be visible along US Highway 550 and I-25 as well as communities from Bernalillo to Los Alamos, depending on ventilation and prevailing winds.
Smoke from the prescribed burns will be monitored to ensure that the New Mexico Environment Department’s Air Quality Bureau regulations are being met. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health’s website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.
For additional information about this prescribed burn, please contact the Jemez Ranger District at 575.829.3535.