Wildfire Preparedness is Year-Round

By SFNF

National Get Outdoors Day, or “GO Day,” is a fee-free day designed to attract new, diverse communities to outdoor activities and motivate kids to explore their national forests and other public lands. As we welcome visitors to enjoy our public lands for GO Day this Saturday, June 12, we also remind people that the month of June comes with increased fire danger.

The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF), in cooperation with partners, is asking visitors to please recreate responsibly and be prepared for wildfire. Continuing our “wildfire preparedness is year-round” campaign, our message for June is don’t get burned, be prepared. Here are a few things to keep in mind when visiting public lands on GO day and beyond:

• Always check for fire restrictions and closures in the area you plan to visit BEFORE you leave. Currently, the west side of the SFNF is underStage 1 fire restrictions, which prohibit campfires unless you are in a developed campground with built-in fire rings.
• In places where campfires are allowed:
  • Never leave a campfire unattended.
  • Keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby.
  • When it’s time to put the fire out, dump lots of water on it, stir it with a shovel, then dump more water.
  • Make sure it is COLD before leaving the campsite. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave!
  • Follow Smokey’s campfire rules.

A large part of our “wildfire preparedness is year-round” campaign has been to encourage homeowners, especially in the wildland-urban interface, to be prepared for wildfire. June is wildfire season in New Mexico and it’s an important time to remind homeowners to get prepared for wildfire before it strikes by following Ready, Set, Go!

• Be Ready: Create and maintain defensible space and harden your home against flying embers.
• Get Set: Prepare your family and home ahead of time for the possibility of having to evacuate. Ensure you have a plan, including what to take and where to go.
• Be Ready to GO!: When wildfire strikes, go early for your safety. Take the evacuation steps necessary to give your family and home the best chance of surviving a wildfire.

The SFNF is working with the Cibola and CarsonNational Forests, New Mexico Forestry Division,Forest Stewards Guild, Fire Adapted NM and Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Office to build a 2021 wildfire preparedness calendar and share the message across multiple platforms, including social media, webinars and community events. Bookmark the wildfire preparedness webpage on facnm.org to follow the campaign throughout the year and catch up with earlier posts.