Summit County Citizens Voice

A July 2 map from Inciweb shows the latest boundaries of the Las Conchas Fire in New Mexico.

SUMMIT COUNTY —Los Alamos residents forced to evacuate when the raging Las Conchas Fire burned to within a few miles of their town can return home, but will find a backdrop of charred and smoldering trees.

The latest infrared aerial surveys showed that the fire has spread across more than 120,000 acres, but the evacuation order for Los Alamos was lifted, allowing residents of the town to begin returning home.The growth of the fire slowed Saturday (July 2) as cooler and moister weather prevailed in the area.

The first tendrils of the summer monsoon brought some rain to parts of the fire, with a 30 percent chance of precipitation in the forecast the next few days.

According to the Los Alamos County website, most normal access points to the Los Alamos Town site were re-opened at 8 a.m. Saturday morning, with the following exceptions, State Route 4 remains closed west of Monterey Drive South and all access points to the Jemez Mountains remain closed.

In a press release, Los Alamos police chief Wayne Torpy said, “We urge residents, to be patient, to be aware that public safety and other workers are still engaged in recovery efforts, and that smoke in the community can still reduce visibility for motorists. If a returning motorist is involved in a minor motor vehicle accident or if their vehicle is disabled, we ask motorists to move the vehicle safely off of the roadway if possible and to call Police Dispatch at 662-8222. If the disabled vehicle is not movable, please contact the 911 emergency phone number immediately, to report the accident so a tow truck can be sent, and traffic flow can be enabled.”

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the first two major injuries to firefighters were reported July 3. The New Mexican is maintaining a fire information portal on its website, and also reported on the role of social media in updating fire information in real time. As of early morning July 2, the fire is 11 percent contained

From the Los Alamos County press release:

Fire crews will continue hardening fire lines will be continue to be hardened, and backfires, which are a preventative measure that help contain the fire, are still being lit to prevent wildfire encroachment on the townsite.

The Las Conchas fire along with the preventative backburning create thick smoke visible from the Los Alamos townsite. At night, fire activity can also appear closer than it actually is. Residents are asked to call the 311 Customer Care Center at 662-8333 if concerned about fire activity within general visibility of your home. Residents are asked to only use the 911 emergency phone numbers if fire is a clear and immediate threat to their structure.

Residents can expect to see charred and smouldering landscapes in the hills and mountains surrounding Los Alamos. In addition, forest animals roving the townsite area have increased in number to escape the fire. Please contact Fish and Game Service (505-476-8000) to inquire about or report any threatening animal activity. Please stay out of drainage areas because any significant rain will cause flooding.

Filed under: Environment, forest fires, Forest health, forests, US Forest Service Tagged: | forest fires, Inciweb, Jemez Mountains, Las Conchas fire, Las Conchas fire map, Los Alamos County New Mexico, Los Alamos evacuation order lfited, New Mexico, New Mexico wildfires, Wildfires