prescribed burns

Although there is an initial drop in bird populations, data show they bounce back quite quickly.

Last fiscal year, the U.S. Forest Service conducted planned burns on just under 2 million acres, an agency record. In the wake of last year's Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon disaster, which began as prescribed fire, many in New Mexico are nervous when such burns come near their homes.

The wildfire crisis in the United States is urgent, severe and far-reaching. So says a Congressional committee report that came out last month, which also noted federal agencies estimate the total cost of wildfire nationwide is on the order of tens to hundreds of billions every year. And strategies to mitigate the risk in New Mexico rely on getting communities on board.

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

The U.S. Forest Service scheduled two prescribed burns last week in the southwest part of the state despite a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service. Ultimately the agency burned the day before, but not the day of the warning. However, officials also said a new state law does not apply to the federal agency.

The Reserve Ranger District of the Gila National Forest began a prescribed fire on Tuesday at the southwestern part of the state – despite a red flag warning due to start on Wednesday for that quadrant of New Mexico.

A controversial prescribed burn, which would eventually become the Hermits Peak Fire, has left Northern New Mexicans and officials wondering why it ever happened in the first place. The U.S. Forest Service, which lit the blaze, has yet to release all the information about the conditions under which the burn took place––citing a pending review.

As the Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak fire continues to ravage northeastern New Mexico, residents are feeling frustrated with the federal government. They said a reckless prescribed burn, lack of communication, and late aid are the root of the problem.

Projected to double in size in the coming days, the Calf Canyon/ Hermit’s Peak Fire continued to rage in northern New Mexico––threatening towns and villages and forcing thousands to flee. Now, erratic winds are pushing the flames closer to Mora and Las Vegas.

The Southwest’s fire season is lasting longer and getting worse, according to researchers. Fire officials do have a trick up their sleeve: prescribed or planned burns. The Los Alamos National Laboratory is creating a tool that uses physics and data modeling to predict how a prescribed burn might behave before it’s lit. But, in hot, dry weather it’s harder to keep them under control.