Laura McCarthy

On Tuesday, lawmakers on the Senate Conservation Committee unanimously advanced a bill that takes aim at skyrocketing premiums or policy cancellations by proactively planning for future fires.

The New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurances is seeing a substantial increase in insurance providers canceling or not renewing coverage plans for homes in wildfire-prone areas.

Many private landowners and small organizations conduct controlled burns in New Mexico, but the federal guidelines can be of limited help to them. A new voluntary certification program called for by a 2021 law is now up and running to teach New Mexicans how to safely conduct a prescribed burn.kunm

Despite the catastrophic impact of last year's Calf Canyon/Hermit's Peak fire, which began as two planned burns by the US Forest Service, forest managers say planned burns are still essential.

New Mexico’s wildfire season started off early this year, and spring winds could make it worse. For people living near forests, this means preparing for…