Santa Fe National Forest to conduct Golondrino North Aztec and Joaquin North prescribed fires

Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) are preparing to conduct the 2,227-acre Golondrino prescribed fire in the Cuba district West of the communities of Llaves and North of Gallina. The 650 acre North Aztec prescribed fire will be in the Jemez district. The 1,750-acre Joaquin North prescribed fire will also be in the Jemez district North of the Community of Gilman, West of Jemez Springs and South of Rancho de Chaparral Girl Scout Camp.

Ignitions for the Golondrino prescribed fire are anticipated to start September 13 and extend through November 17. The Golondrino and Juaquin North fires are part of the Rio Chama Collaborative Landscape Restoration Project that encompasses 3.8 million acres, spanning federal, state tribal and private lands in New Mexico and Colorado with the aim of restoring the forested headwaters of the Rio Chama and Rio Grande rivers.

All new prescribed fires planned and implemented on the SFNF, including the Golondrino, North Aztec, and Joaquin North prescribed fires, will incorporate the guidance in the Forest Service Chief’s National Prescribed Fire Program Review, including using the most recent science and modeling, ensuring contingency resources are more readily available, integrating drought monitoring, increasing patrols, and completing a daily go/ no-go evaluation of conditions. A final decision on whether to proceed with a specific prescribed fire on the SFNF will depend on agency administrator approval, resource availability, fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecast weather. Prescribed fires are designed to meet specific objectives and are always managed with firefighter and public safety as the priority.

Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-dependent ecosystems and reducing the risk of high-severity wildfires. Fire managers use prescribed fire to improve forest health, remove hazardous fuels, increase firefighter safety, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect communities and watersheds.

To learn more about what the SFNF is doing differently around prescribed fire, please see the recorded presentation “Changes to the USFS Prescribed Fire Program on the Santa Fe National Forest”, pinned to the top of the U.S. Forest Service – Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page: U.S. Forest Service-Santa Fe National Forest | Santa Fe NM | Facebook

The SFNF manages all prescribed fires in compliance with New Mexico state regulations on air quality and smoke management. Further details for the prescribed fires are available below:

• There is a public meeting for the North Aztec prescribed fire at the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary 1800 Upper Canyon Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87505 September 14 at 4 p.m.
• The public meeting for the Golondrino prescribed fire is planned for next week, however no official date has been established. Please check our Facebook page for more information.
• The Joaquin North community meeting has already taken place. More information can be found by visiting our Facebook page.

Plan Ahead

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 to https://facnm.org/smoke#smokeanchor5.

Fire updates will be posted on the New Mexico Fire Informationwebsite and on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook and Twitter pages. For more information, contact the Coyote Ranger District at 575-638-5526.