Wildfires taking a toll around the West

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Bob Berwyn
Whitewater-Baldy Fire photo

Nighttime burnout operations at the massive Whitewater-Baldy Fire complex in New Mexico.

Wildfire season totals still below average to date, at 995,000 acres

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — While media attention and firefighting resources have been focused on the High Park Fire, burning near the densely populated Colorado Front Range, the wildfire season is heating up elsewhere around the country.

The Little Bear Fire in New Mexico, burning on the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico, is among the most destructive, having destroyed 224 homes and cabins.

The National Interagency Fire Center reported four new large fires Tuesday (June 12) for a total of 19 large fires burning around the country. To-date, the acreage affected by wildfires still remains about 50 percent below the 10-year average, with the NIFC reported a total of 995,000 acres burned so far this year. The average for the year to-date is 1.5 million acres. (more…)

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Whitewater-Baldy Fire grows to 122,000 acres

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Blaze slows in areas where earlier prescribed fires reduced fuels

Whitewater-Baldy Fire

Whitewater-Baldy fire complex perimeter on May 27.

The Whitewater Fire burns in the Gila National Forest May 22 before merging with the Baldy Fire. PHOTO COURTESY INCIWEB. Click for more photos.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Firefighters in New Mexico faced extreme fire conditions Saturday, with tongues of flame soaring 200 feet at times as the Whitewater-Baldy fire grew by more than 40,000 acres in 24 hours, from 80,000 acres to a footprint of more than 122,000 acres.

Fire experts said the blaze is slowing were previous prescribed fires reduced some of the available fuels.

Saturday afternoon the Gila National Forest closed the Catwalk National Recreation Trail until further notice. Please visit the Gila National Forest Website at www.fs.usda.gov/gila for more details. Smoke advisories are in effect, with more info online here. (more…)

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Whitewater-Baldy Fire grows to 82,000 acres

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Firefighters disengage from fire lines as wind fuels long-distance spotting and crown runs

Whitewater Baldy fire complex, New Mexico wildfires

The 82,000-acre Whitewater-Baldy fire continues to spread in the Gila National Forest.

The Whitewater-Baldy fire burns in steep terrain on the Gila National Forest. PHOTO COURTESY INCIWEB. Click for more photos.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The lightning-caused Whitewater-Baldy wildfire in New Mexico has grown to 82,000 acres and has destroyed at least 12 cabins in the rugged terrain of the Gila National Forest, northwest of Silver City.

Firefighters continue to focus on structure protection the Willow Creek subdivision and assessing fire threats in the town Mogollon while the wind- and terrain-driven fire continues to spread, albeit more slowly than earlier in the week. A voluntary evacuation of Mogollon remains in effect.

Firefighters retreated from some of their fire lines Friday as high winds fueled long range spotting and sustained crown runs. More high winds are forecast for at least the first part of the weekend.

Smoke from the fire will probably continue to affect the region until the monsoon season arrives later in the summer, according Boulder-based National Weather Service forecasters.

About 500 firefighters are at the scene.

Nationally, eight large wildfires are burning, with most of the activity in Arizona. To-date, fires have burned across about 600,000 acres, about half the ten-year average. More fire statistics and info at the National Interagency Fire Center website.

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Parts of Bandelier monument re-open after Las Conchas Fire

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Las Conchas Fire 70 percent contained; restoration team focusing on revegetation and evaluating impacts to cutthroat trout and Jemez salamanders

Cliff dwellings in Bandelier National Monument.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Some parts of Bandelier National Monument are re-opening after the Las Conchas Fire burned more than 50 percent of the park during the past few weeks.

Open areas include the Trail at the Tsankawi Section, the Burnt Mesa Trail, the Tyuponi Overlook Trails and a couple of loops in the Juniper Campground. No campfires are permitted in the area.

But large parts of Bandelier are still closed, partially because of the threat of flash floods in burned areas, including Frijoles Canyon, well-known for its array of cliff dwellings carved into the volcanic rock. A Bandelier ranger reflects on the Las Conchas Fire in this blog post. (more…)

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Las Conchas Fire started by downed power line

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

A burned forest landscape along Road 289 within the footprint of the Las Conchas Fire. PHOTO BY BURT STALTER VIA FLICKR.

Wildfire near Los Alamos 19 percent contained after destroying 63 homes

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — New Mexico fire officials said Sunday evening they’ve traced the ignition of the 122,000-acre Las Conchas Fire to an arcing powerline. Investigators were at the scene shortly after the fire started June 26.

They believe the fire started when an aspen tree blew down on to nearby power lines during a wind storm, according to New Mexico State Forester Tony Delfin.

The contact resulted in the line arcing, which then caused the tree to catch fire. Heat and flame caused the line to snap, which then allowed the burning tree to fall onto the ground where the fire spread into nearby vegetation.

The fire has destroyed 63 residences, five commercial properties and 32 outbuildings. (more…)

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Evacuation order lifted at Las Conchas Fire, Los Alamos residents returning home as growth of wildfire slows down

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

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. (more…)

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Weather helps slow Las Conchas Fire in New Mexico

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

A burnout operation at the Las Conchas Fire in Santa Clara Canyon. PHOTO BY BURT STALTER VIA FLICKR.

Nationally, 5 million acres have burned to date, more than twice the 10-year average

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Aided by overcast skies and more moisture in the air, firefighters made some progress in controlling the 113,000-acre Las Conchas Fire, which has burning in northern New Mexico for a week. The fire started June 26 and the cause is still under investigation.

According to an Inciweb update issued late on July 2, the fire made no major movement, but still grew by another 10,000 acres. Crews were able to get a handline around the northeast corner of the fire and focused efforts on protecting communities, watersheds, along with infrastructure and other important features, including cultural and historic resources. Burnout operations were conducted to protect cultural and historic resources near the Santa Clara Pueblo. (more…)

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Las Conchas Fire grows to more than 100,000 acres

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Wildfire near Los Alamos now the largest on record in New Mexico

A June 29 NASA satellite image shows smoke from the Las Conchas Fire, which has now burned over more than 100,000 acres, making it the largest wildfire on record in New Mexico.

A July 1 map shows the northeastward spread of the Las Conchas Fire.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — After early morning infrared aerial surveys, fire officials say the six-day-old Las Conchas Fire has now burned across a footprint of more than 103,000 acres, making it the state’s largest single wildfire on record, after the 2003 Dry Lakes Fire, which burned more than 94,000 acres in the Gila National Forest.

The fire was most active on its northern flank Thursday, where it burned across about 6,000 acres of the Santa Clara Pueblo, threatening watersheds and historic cultural resources.

Visit the Santa Fe New Mexican Fire Dashboard for continually updated information including a live blog. Streaming information is also available via this Las Conchas Fire Twitter hashtag.

Thursday’s light rain moistened some of the fuels in the vicinity of the fire, but forecast winds and low humidity will once again dry those fuels to previous levels by Friday afternoon. (more…)

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Firefighters in New Mexico battle to keep 80,000-acre Las Conchas blaze away from Los Alamos nuclear laboratory

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

U.S. Forest Service closes large parts of Carson National Forest; preventive burns conducted to prevent westward spread of fire

A map showing the extent of the Las Conchas Fire as of June 29, with the most recently burned areas marked in red.

Thick smoke at the Las Conchas Fire in New Mexico. PHOTO BY GLENN SIMPSON, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE VIA FLICKR. Click on the image to see the entire Flickr gallery.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Firefighters in New Mexico Wednesday sprayed roadside vegetation, set preventive fires and even used industrial lawnmowers in their battle to keep the Las Conchas Fire, near Los Alamos, New Mexico, from spreading into the grounds of Los Alamos National Laboratory, even as the fire’s footprint grew by another 10,000 acres to reach a total of more than 80,000 acres by Thursday morning.

The fire started June 26 and the cause is still under investigation. Frequently updated information and links to all other fire info resources are online at Inciweb and and at New Mexico Fire Info.

The Santa Fe New Mexican has aggregated coverage of the fire, including maps and a live blog, at this website. Similarly, the Albuquerque Journal has this website dedicated to coverage of the fire and related issues. (more…)

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Las Conchas Fire in New Mexico destroys 12 buildings

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

No fire burning on Los Alamos National Laboratory lands; air sampling detects no radiation from nuclear facility

The Las Conchas Fire burning in mixed forest near Los Alamos, New Mexico. PHOTO BY GLENN SIMPSON, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. Click on the photo to see the Flickr feed from the Las Conchas Fire.

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Las Conchas wildfire, burning near Los Alamos, New Mexico, has destroyed 12 buildings and threatens several others as it spread across a 69,000-acre footprint in the past few days.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the 12 structures are in Cochiti Canyon, above the town and dam of Cochiti Lake, about halfway between Albequerque and Bandelier National Monument. In an email, a staffer with the Albuquerque Journal wrote that most of Bandelier has burned, but that the historic visitor center is OK.

The Journal reports on the fire here, with detailed photo coverage including reader photos.

Officials said in a June 29 briefing that there is currently no fire on the grounds of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and that air sampling has not shown any radioactive materials from lab operations of legacy waste in smoke from the Las Conchas fire. More at the New Mexico Fire Info website.

Firefighters are setting preventive fires at the western edge of the fire to prevent the spread of flames on to the grounds of the laboratory. About 350 firefighters, using 12 engines, four bulldozers and five helicopters, are battling the blaze, which is now 3 percent contained, according to an Inciweb update published June 30.

Excellent coverage of the wildfires in New Mexico, including a continual  live blog, is consolidated online at the Santa Fe New Mexican website. (more…)

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