EMIFPA WILDLAND FIRE SAFETY NOTES
Fire Season-Are we out of the Woods?
July and August have given us ample amounts of rain. What could all this moisture mean for
our Fall Fire Season? Assuming our
current monsoonal pattern ends come September, all this lush green could mean
much more “fine fuels” for a wildfire. It happens many times in the west where
we get substantial summer moisture and we “green-up”, then we get
hit with a dry fall. All it takes
is enough time to dry and cure the fine fuels. So what are fine fuels? These are known by fire managers as
1-hour time lag fuels. That means
that fuels (cured grasses or dried sticks and brush) 0-1/4 inches in diameter
can lose 63% of their fuel moisture in one hour given ample drying or sun exposure. So this means that all this green
vegetation can dry out or cure to create additional fire hazard this fall. Our institutional memory is so very
short. Remember, were we dry last
winter? Were we dry this
spring? Did we have an early fire
season? So often
when it rains our memory becomes “soggy” and we forget that
wildfires are still a possibility for the
· With any chance of a wildfire, be prepared and have a plan.
·
Notice the new billboard as you travel westbound
on I-40 in
· Understand that this fall may put us at risk again for wildfires
·
View the
· Re-visit your fire preparedness that you spent time with this past spring and stay vigilant with understanding what you would do in the event of a Wildfire.
· You can find out about the national fire situation at www.inciweb.org
“HAVE A SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE FALL”
Bruce
Hawkinson
PARTIAL CLOSURES ON CIBOLA NATIONAL FOREST BEGIN MAY 12, 2006 Albuquerque, May 9, 2006 ¡V Beginning Friday, May 12, many portions of the Cibola National Forest will be closed. Fire danger remains extreme and warrants closing a number of areas to visitors. ¡§Closures are a last resort and they are not taken lightly. We all must work together to keep our forest as safe as possible and this includes staying away from areas that have been closed.¡¨ stated Forest Supervisor Nancy Rose. ¡§Recent isolated rain showers have brought little, if any, measurable moisture to the forest¡¨ she added. Beginning 8:00 am, Friday, May 12, the following areas are affected: SANDIA RANGER DISTRICT: The following campgrounds and recreation sites remain open: La Cueva, Juan Tabo, Cienega Canyon, Sulphur Canyon, Doc Long, Dry Camp, Balsam Glade, Capulin Spring, Nine Mile, Pine Flat, and Oak Flat recreation day use sites are open. Cedro and Deadman Group Reservation Area Campgrounds are open. Sandia Peak Ski Area, Sandia Crest Electronic Site, Sandia Crest Observation Area, Sandia Peak Tram, High Finance Restaurant and associated facilities, and Sandia Crest House are open. State Highway 536 (Sandia Crest National Scenic Byway) is open. All major roads on the district remain open with the exception of Highway 165; most secondary roads will be closed. Forest Road 445 is open to foot traffic and authorized vehicles. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters are NOT allowed ¡V Cold camping only. Smoking is prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or building. The following trails and areas remain open: those portions of Forest Trail 365 (Foothills Trail), including secondary trails associated with Forest Trail 365 and outside of the Sandia Mountain Wilderness; Sandia Peak Ski Area mountain bike/hiking trails within the ski area boundary only; the Crest Trail (Forest Trail 130) from the Crest House/Crest Observation Area to the Sandia Peak Tram and associated facilities; and Kiwanis Cabin Trail 94. La Luz trail will be closed. All other sites, trails and backcountry areas are closed. MOUNTAINAIR RANGER DISTRICT: Red Canyon Recreational Site is open daily from 8am to 6pm (DAY USE ONLY ¡V NO CAMPING) and accessible only through Forest Road 253. Please note all trails accessible from Red Canyon Campground are closed. All other campgrounds, trails and trailheads are closed. The Manzano Mountain Wilderness is closed. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters meeting safety specifications are allowed at Red Canyon Recreational Site. The Gallinas Mountains near Corona are open; however Red Cloud campground and Forest Road 99 are CLOSED. Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal broiler, coal or wood stove are prohibited. All personal use firewood cutting will not be allowed until further notice. Extensions will be granted to individuals with existing personal use permits. Personal use firewood cutting will recommence when weather conditions permit. All vehicles must remain on Forest roads. Smoking is prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or building. MAGDALENA RANGER DISTRICT: The following campgrounds are open: Luna Park and Springtime Campgrounds in the San Mateo unit and roads leading to them. The south end of the San Mateo Unit is open south of West Red Canyon. The Bear and Gallinas units are open. Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal broiler, coal or wood stove are prohibited. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters meeting safety specifications are allowed. All personal use firewood cutting will not be allowed until further notice. Extensions will be granted to individuals with existing personal use permits. Personal use firewood cutting will recommence when weather conditions permit. All vehicles must remain on Forest roads. Smoking is prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or building. All other areas not mentioned are closed. MT. TAYLOR RANGER DISTRICT: The following recreational areas remain open: Coal Mine Canyon, McGaffey Campgrounds and McGaffey Lake and only main access roads leading to them. Forest Development Road 239, which is designated as the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail access through the closure area is open to non-vehicular traffic by permit only. Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal broiler, coal or wood stove are prohibited. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters meeting safety specifications are allowed. All personal use firewood cutting will not be allowed until further notice. Extensions will be granted to individuals with existing personal use permits. Personal use firewood cutting will recommence when weather conditions permit. All vehicles must remain on Forest roads. Smoking is prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or building. Some additional roads are open. Call the Mt. Taylor District office for additional road information. All other sites, trails and backcountry areas are closed. The following restrictions apply to the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands: „XBuilding, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal broiler, coal or wood stove are prohibited. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters meeting safety specifications are allowed. „XAll vehicles must remain on Forest roads. „XSmoking is prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or building. „XAs always, fireworks are prohibited on all national forests and national grasslands. For more information contact Mark Chavez, Cibola National Forest Supervisor¡¦s Office at 505-346-3900 or one of the following district offices: -Sandia Ranger District, 505-281-3304 -Mountainair Ranger District, 505-847-2990 -Magdalena Ranger District, 505-854-2281 -Mt. Taylor Ranger District, 505-287-8833 -Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands, 505-374-9652 Additional fire information for the Southwest Area is available at http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/index.htm.
