PREPARING FOR RAIN STORMS PECOS, NM (July 5, 2013) – The Jaroso Fire is currently burning in the rugged, steep, deep canyons of the Pecos Wilderness on the Santa Fe National Forest. It is burning in mixed-conifer, heavy dead and down, woody material with pockets of bug-killed trees, and in a 1,300-acre area of 2007 blown-down timber. The wildfire has increased the potential for flash flooding, mud and debris flows that could impact several communities, homes, roads, and other infrastructures adjacent to and downstream from the burned area. Monsoon season in New Mexico often brings heavy rain, and upper and lower Pecos Canyon residents should remain alert to possible flooding. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team is working with the Santa Fe National Forest (www.fs.usda.gov/santafe/) to assess the condition of the watersheds that were burned in the Jaroso Fire. The BAER assessment team identifies potential emergency threats to critical values-at-risk, and recommends emergency...