Date: October 19, 2009
SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST CONTINUES FALL BURN PROJECTS
Santa Fe National Forest Prescribed Burn Update
for Saturday, October 17, 2009, 11:30 a.m.
There will be no burning on the Santa Fe National Forest over the weekend. The Chaparral and Thompson Ridge prescribed burn areas will be patrolled and monitored over the weekend. Residual smoke from yesterday's burning activity will still be visible in the Jemez, La Cueva, Thompson Ridge and Cuba areas. In the evenings smoke will begin settling into drainage areas; however it will lift by mid-morning when the sun rises. Residents near the burn areas may wish to keep their windows closed.
Next week, fire managers plan to continue treating the Chaparral, Thompson Ridge and Begoso prescribed burn areas with prescribed fire:
Chaparral Rx Burn, Cuba Ranger District
Yesterday, fire managers on the Cuba Ranger District completed an additional 70-acres within the Chaparral prescribed burn area.
Next Monday, October 19th, if weather conditions are favorable, fire managers plan to continue treating the area with prescribed fire .
The Chaparral Prescribed Burn is a 1500-acre hazardous fuels reduction project designed to reduce the threat of wildfire to the nearby community of Seven Springs as well as to improve overall forest health.
The burn area is approximately 9 miles northwest of Jemez Springs.
Smoke from the Chaparral Prescribed Burn will be visible from Seven Springs, along the Jemez corridor, Highway 550 and into Cuba, NM.
Thompson Ridge Rx Burn, Jemez Ranger District
Yesterday, fire managers on the Jemez Ranger District completed 100-acres within the Thompson Ridge prescribed burn area.
Later next week, if weather conditions are favorable, fire managers plan to continue treating the remaining 155-acres with prescribed fire.
The burn area is located, 10 miles north of Jemez Springs, directly north of La Cueva, off of State Hwy 4; access through Forest Road 106.
Anyone traveling in this area should use caution driving because of smoke and fire traffic in the area. Please drive slow and use lights.
The burn area has been thinned or masticated; treatment by prescribed burning will reduce the effects of a wildfire to the community of Thompson Ridge.
Smoke may be visible from Thompson Ridge Estates, La Cueva, Jemez Springs, Jemez Pueblo, San Ysidro, Zia Pueblo and portions of State Hwy. 550 between Bernalillo and San Ysidro.
Begoso Rx Burn, Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District
Fire managers plan a 2,700 -acre prescribed burn on Glorieta Mesa (Rowe Mesa), beginning October 20th through the month of November.
The burn area is located 14 miles southeast of Pecos, NM, due west of Punta de la Mesa de San Jose.
The objectives of this burn are to: reduce the piņon-juniper encroachment in the ponderosa pine stands and open grasslands; improve wildlife/range habitat by increasing forage production through new grass growth and sprouting oak.
Smoke will be visible for the next few days from the communities of Rowe, Pecos, Glorieta, Ilfeld, San Juan, San Jose, San Ysidro, and along the I-25 corridor.
For updated information on planned and ongoing prescribed burns, call toll-free, 1-877-971-FIRE (3473), or visit nmfireinfo.com. For additional information on programs to reduce wildfire threat to communities, visit http://www.firewise.org/. (http://www.firewise.org/. )
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Lawrence M. Lujan | Santa Fe National Forest
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
11 Forest Lane | Santa Fe, NM 87508
tel: 505-438-5321| email: lmlujan@fs.fed.us
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