SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By SFNF
Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) are planning to conduct a prescribed burn on east Rowe Mesa on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District sometime between March 16 and April 30, 2020, if conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality, wind direction and weather forecasts, remain favorable.
The 4,200-acre treatment area is located east of State Highway 34 along Rowe Mesa, 10 miles south of Pecos, NM. Crews will use hand and aerial ignitions to reduce the risk of wildfire, recycle nutrients and improve wildlife habitat. Prescribed fire mimics a natural fire regime by using low-intensity fire to improve forest health and restore fire-adapted ecosystems. Prescribed fires are managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.
Smoke may impact the communities of Santa Fe, Pecos, Las Vegas, Rowe, Glorieta, La Cueva, North and South San Ysidro, Ilfeld, San Jose, San Juan, Tecolote, Soham, Ribera, Serafina, Bernal and Anton Chico as well as the I-25 corridor, Forest Road 34, County Road 63A and the Pecos National Historical Park.
The SFNF manages all prescribed fires in compliance with New Mexico state regulations on air quality and smoke management. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health by using the 5-3-1 visibility method can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website at https://nmtracking.org/fire. People with health concerns can also call NMDOH at 505-827-0006 for additional information. For information on the HEPA filter loan program, go tohttps://facnm.org/smoke#smokeanchor5.
Fire updates will be posted on the New Mexico Fire Information website and on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
For more information, contact the Pecos Ranger Station at 505-757-6121 or the Las Vegas Ranger Station at 505-425-3534.
