Copyright 2006 Albuquerque Journal
Rocketing Fire Risk Spurs Jan. Limits
BY TANIA SOUSSAN
Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico)
New Mexico faces an intense wildfire season with blazes that could rival some of the worst the state has seen in more than a decade.
Fire risk is already in the danger zone, causing state and federal agencies to impose fire restrictions and bring firefighters on - both unusual moves for January.
“Everybody’s gearing up,” said Kim Kostelnik, resource protection bureau chief for the state Forestry Division.
The dangerous conditions are due to the exceptionally dry fall and winter, warmer than usual temperatures and frequent windy days.
“Any fire that gets going on one of those days is going to go to the limit big-time,” said Chuck Maxwell, fire weather program manager for the Southwest Coordination Center.
A “very active, early and intense” fire season is forecast by the interagency Southwest Coordination Center in Albuquerque.
By the end of the week, restrictions will be in place on the Lincoln National Forest, the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands and Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
In addition, there are restrictions on state and private land in the 14 eastern New Mexico counties of Chaves, Colfax, Curry, DeBaca, Eddy, Guadalupe, Harding, Lea, Lincoln, Mora, Quay, Roosevelt, San Miguel and Union.
The fire season has already started in eastern New Mexico. Grass fires near Hobbs and Tatum burned more than 53,000 acres and destroyed 10 homes this month. A 35,000-acre grass fire near Floyd in December was one of the largest in New Mexico in more than three decades.
“Winter fire restrictions, even in New Mexico, are rare and show just how dangerous the situation is, especially in eastern New Mexico,” Gov. Bill Richardson said in a statement. “The extreme dry conditions have placed a large part of the state at risk, and we must take every precaution to prevent wildfires.”
The rules generally restrict campfires and smoking and ban fireworks, but the details vary by agency.
New Mexico’s weather has delivered a one-two punch to the fire danger levels.
Super-wet conditions last winter and spring fed the growth of grasses. Then, the weather changed to excessively dry and those grasses dried up, turning into what fire experts call fine fuels.
Maxwell compared it to a “Perfect Storm” scenario.
“That is the recipe for active fires in the western United States,” he said. “It just doesn’t happen all that frequently.” The potential for large fires already is above normal across New Mexico, and warm, dry conditions are expected to continue through May.
Maxwell’s biggest concern is the potential for high-elevation timber fires during the spring windy season.
That’s what happened in 1996 when the devastating 16,774-acre Dome Fire burned in the Santa Fe National Forest.
In fact, Maxwell’s season outlook report says this year is likely to be similar to the first six months of 1996 when 3,000 fires burned 242,371 acres, almost double the 16-year median.
Lower elevations will be susceptible to fire through the winter and “the potential for early season timber fires will be particularly high” with significant fire activity in mid- to high-elevation areas by April, the report states.
In the Lincoln National Forest, some “severity funds” — money above what normally is available for firefighting — are on hand and some fire workers are on the job three months early, said spokesman Joe Garcia.
“We’re cautious right now,” he said.