Community meeting scheduled North Aztec Springs prescribed fire

A community meeting for the North Aztec Springs prescribed fire is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 13 at the Office of Emergency Management, Emergency Operations Center, 1600 St. Michael’s Drive at 2 p.m.

Forest Service officials, in cooperation with the Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition, will present and share information on the North Aztec Springs prescribed fire, including an opportunity for the public to ask questions.

This second public meeting came at the request of more than one community group. A prior public meeting for the North Aztec Springs prescribed fire was held on September 14, 2023 from 4-6 p.m at the Randall Davey Audubon Center.

“It is our goal to share information with as many of the neighboring communities as we can. The Santa Fe National Forest/Espanola Ranger District aim to be transparent and informative about our plans,” said District Ranger Sandra Imler-Jacquez.

The North Aztec Springs prescribed fire is approximately 650 acres and will likely be implemented over multiple days as weather conditions allow. Operations are expected to take place, at the earliest, the week of October 16 and continue until weather conditions are no longer favorable. No ignitions will be authorized on October 22 to reduce air quality impacts to the Albuquerque Marathon. Fire managers have incorporated the changes from the 2022 Chief’s National Program Review in this project.

The project area is located at the northwest corner of the Santa Fe Municipal Watershed adjacent to the communities of Hyde Park Estates, Paseo Segundo, High Summit, Los Cerros Colorados, Cerro Gordo and Upper Canyon.  This unit is the last “first entry” broadcast burn within the Santa Fe Municipal Watershed project, following 20 plus years of successful thinning treatments, and prescribed fires implemented by the SFNF and partners.

Fire management officials are monitoring fuels conditions on site and will be working with the National Weather Service, the New Mexico Environment Department Air Quality Bureau and local officials to find an optimal time to complete this project while minimizing smoke impacts to nearby communities.