NM governor to the feds: Stop igniting prescribed burns in windy, dry conditions

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is calling on the federal government to change its rules around prescribed burns after one such blaze grew out of control in early April. It’s contributed to one of the biggest fires in state history that today is threatening homes, farms, villages and cities.

What’s now known as the Hermits Peak Fire began as the Las Dispensas Prescribed Burn. Earlier this year, federal forestry officials announced the proposed 1,200-acre burn to help preserve the Gallinas Watershed, which is the primary water source for Las Vegas, New Mexico.

After canceling the proposed burn once in mid-March, Santa Fe National Forest officials announced April 1 they would try to find the right window in April to try again.

“The decision to proceed will depend on multiple factors, including resource availability, fuel moisture levels, air quality, ventilation, and forecasted weather and wind,” they wrote in a news release. “Prescribed burns are designed to meet specific objectives and are always managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.”

Read more: https://sourcenm.com/2022/05/03/nm-governor-to-the-feds-stop-igniting-prescribed-burns-in-windy-dry-conditions/