Lincoln National Forest, NM State Park closure till July 30, 2022. Lincoln County Fire Ban

Lincoln National Forest, Guadalupe Mountains National Park closing due to fire danger

Nicole Maxwell, Alamogordo Daily News

Lincoln National Forest and Guadalupe Mountains National Park both announced widespread closures Monday that effect Wednesday in an effort to stem the risk of wildfires to public safety.

A forest-wide closure order goes into effect for the Lincoln National Forest beginning at 8 a.m., May 25 and will be lifted on or before July 30, depending on weather conditions.

The 1.1 million-acre forest stretching through Eddy, Otero and Lincoln counties will be closed due to active wildfires across New Mexico and an extreme fire danger that remains in effect until further notice.

"All National Forest System lands, recreation sites, campgrounds, roads, trails, and trailheads within the boundary of the Lincoln National Forest will be closed to the general public," a Lincoln National Forest news release states. "County and state roads that cross Forest Service lands are not under the Forest Service’s jurisdiction and will remain open to vehicular traffic. Local communities will remain open for business during the closure." Residential and business indoor fireplace use is still allowed.

Prior to implementing fire restrictions or forest closures, forest managers consider factors such as fire danger, fire activity, weather conditions, firefighting re

source availability, economic impacts to businesses and communities and local, regional and national fire preparedness levels, the news release state.

NM State Forester Strengthens Statewide Fire Restrictions Due to Extreme Fire Danger – May 19, 2022

Today Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department Cabinet Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst and State Forester Laura McCarthy signed a new Fire Restrictions Order (2022-02) prohibiting smoking, fireworks use, campfires, open fires, open burning, and operation of certain equipment (i.e. chainsaws, cutting torches, welders, grinders, and other similar equipment). Order 2022-02 applies to all non-municipal, non-federal, and non-tribal lands in New Mexico. The attached order 2022-02 outlines the rules and exceptions. This order supersedes any previous orders

Lincoln National Forest AND BLM Stanton-Snowy River Cave NCA are CLOSED!!!!

The Lincoln National Forest is closed as of Wednesday, May 25. Village of Ruidoso trails will remain open, including those around Grindstone Lake, that do not go into the surrounding forest. There will be signs at the boundary where the trails are off-limits.

BLM Roswell issues emergency closure for Ft. Stanton-Snowy River Cave NCA and Lincoln tracts MAY 24, 2022

Due to extreme fire danger, the Bureau of Land Management Roswell Field Office will temporarily close the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area and Rio Bonito Acquired Lands, also known as the Lincoln tracts. The closure is effective on May 25, 2022, at 8 a.m., and will continue until further notice.

During the closure, it is prohibited to enter the restricted areas, which includes BLM administered land within the Ft. Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area and the Rio Bonito Acquired Lands within Lincoln County.

The purpose of this order is for the protection of public health and safety by minimizing chances for wildfire starts. Abundant dry fuels, extreme fire danger, and expected worsening fire conditions, has prompted this action. The use of exploding targets and fireworks is prohibited on all BLM-managed lands in New Mexico by statewide order.

Violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both. Restitution for total costs of fire suppression or damage will be borne by the violator.

The BLM appreciates the public’s cooperation in helping to minimize the number of human-caused wildfires. For more information, please contact the BLM Roswell Field Office at 575-622-5335 or the BLM NM Fire Restrictions site. Additional fire restrictions information can be found at www.nmfireinfo.com.

New Mexico State Parks Announces Temporary Closures & Restrictions Due to Extreme Fire Danger – May 18, 2022

Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation Imposes Stage 3 Closure Due to Extreme Fire Danger – May 24, 2022

April showers seem to be a thing of the past

Wildfire. Be Prepared. Good information

located on NM US Senator Martin Heinrich's web page at: https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/helping-you/wildfire-preparedness-and-prevention-center

In particular - be prepared in case of evacuation. Read this Guide to staying safe during wildfires: https://www.safehome.org/resources/wildfire-safety-guide/

Also read this Ready, Set, GO brochure: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/FINAL-new-mexico-RSG-guide-2017_000.pdf

Wildfire Preparedness is Year-Round: Wildfire season is here. Pack a go bag and keep it near!

MAY 3, 2022 BY TRIGBY@BLM.GOV 0 COMMENTS

With the 2022 wildfire season off to an early start in New Mexico, it is vital to have an emergency kit and an evacuation plan in place for you and your family. The 2022 Wildfire Preparedness is Year-Round campaign provides monthly wildfire preparedness tasks that follow the changing seasons. The May message from a partnership with NM wildfire agencies and nongovernmental organizations is: “Wildfire season is here. Pack a go-bag and keep it near!” Whether you live in the wildland-urban interface or in a rural area in the mountains, communication is key during wildfire season. Be sure to register with your local government’s emergency management office for text or email notifications and connect with your county or city’s social media. The Ready, Set, Go! New Mexico program provides tips and tools to prepare for a wildfire emergency and create a personal action plan.

Ready – Get Ready

• Create a family disaster plan that includes meeting locations and communication plans and rehearse it regularly. Include the evacuation of large animals, such as horses, in your plan. • Put together an emergency supply kit or go-bag. The NM Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s Preparedness Guide is a good resource for items to include. Keep an extra kit in your vehicle. Don’t forget important family documents like birth certificates, wills, deeds and insurance policies.

Set – Be Prepared to Go

• Monitor fire weather conditions and fire status. See inciweb.nwcg.gov and nmfireinfo.com. Stay tuned to local TV and radio stations for updates and check official information sources on the internet. • Have an evacuation plan for your family and pets in place, and make sure all family members have a copy of evacuation and contact information. • Load your supplies and go-bags in your vehicle.

Go – Act Early, Evacuate

• Do not wait to be advised to leave if there is a possible threat to your home or evacuation route. Leave early enough to avoid being caught in fire, smoke or road congestion. If you are advised to leave by local authorities, do not hesitate. If you don’t follow the Go order, understand that emergency services may not be able to assist you. • Head to a predetermined location in a low-risk area, such as a relative’s house, Red Cross shelter or evacuation center, motel or school. Identify several routes in case your first choice is closed due to the fire.

Other helpful resources include the Ready, Set, Go! Program (video), Living with Fire: A Guide for the Homeowner, New Mexico, Firewise USA®, and Fire Adapted New Mexico learning network (FACNM).

Your NM wildfire cooperators, including the BLM New Mexico, the Forest Stewards Guild, the Fire Adapted New Mexico learning network, Santa Fe, Cibola and Carson National Forests, New Mexico Forestry Division, New Mexico Coalition of Conservation Districts, National Park Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs, to continue in 2022 a wildfire preparedness calendar and share the message across multiple platforms, including social media, webinars and community events. Bookmark the wildfire preparedness webpage to follow the campaign throughout the year.

Lincoln County Forest fire restrictons

Lincoln County Fire Restrictions - Fire Danger is HIGH!

Anniversary of the Little Bear Fire - 10 years ago!

By Sharon Stewart

On Friday evening, June 8, 2012, Sun Valley, Little Creek and La Junta subdivisions started getting warning calls through emergency notification systems, either Lincoln County’s CODE Red or Ruidoso’s E911Emergency Notification System. The calls informed everyone to evacuate the area by 1 a.m. By early Saturday morning the subdivision was empty of all residents. Only firefighters had a presence in the area.

With the help of some fantastic firefighters and a change in wind direction, all structures within the Sun Valley Water & Sanitation District escaped being burned. But, because of the fire still raged in the forest surrounding us, we stayed evacuated for eight days. Being kept away from our home for that length of time was a traumatic experience for most of us.

So there are three things we encourage every one with a home in SVW & SD to do, to be prepared for the upcoming fire season. Yes – it can happen again. Just look at the drought, beetle-kill trees, and little snow this winter (which also means no snow pack to melt and fill the rivers), PLUS a not too optimistic forecast for any moisture anytime soon. All these things implicate a risk for wildfire.

#1. If you own a home here, even if you do not live here full time, sign up on the web with Lincoln County CODE Red at https://www.onsolve.com/landing/sign-up-for-codered-emergency-alerts/

Also, since we are close to Ruidoso, sign up for Ruidoso E911Emergency Notification System at www.CallMeRuidoso.com

You may sign up for both notification systems. You will get calls at whatever number you provide, which may be here in Alto or at your primary home elsewhere. The emergency system will automatically call landlines in the area of the emergency. For example - it will call all numbers starting with 336 here in Sun Valley. Or providing a cell phone number allows you to get calls anywhere.

#2. Know what you need to take in case of an evacuation.

Evacuating During a Wildfire

　　　　When wildfires ignite, they can spread very quickly. It's important to know how to evacuate and what to bring with you. 　　　

　If wildland fires threaten your area, listen to your radio or television for reports and evacuation information (Code RED and E911), and follow the directions of local authorities. 　　　

　Every home and workplace/vehicle should have a basic disaster kit. This kit is specific to the needs of you and your loved ones.

The Five P’s of Immediate Evacuation: • People and Pets – And other livestock, too • Papers – Important documents • Prescriptions – Medications, eyeglasses, hearing aids • Pictures – Irreplaceable memories • Personal Computer – Information on hard drives and disks

Before the Fire: • Collect valuables, important documents, medications and other personal items in one place and ready for evacuation. • What you can fit into your vehicle is what you can take. Make priorities by determining what is replaceable and what is not. • Maintain a disaster supplies kit. This includes a first aid kit, emergency tools, a battery-powered radio and flashlight, extra batteries, extra car keys, credit cards, water and non-perishable food. Also consider blankets, pillows and sleeping bags. • Determine your need to have coverings for windows and skylights to increase fire resistance. Have these coverings readily accessible. • Have a means of transporting pets and livestock readily available. • Make sure the needs of children and any elderly or disabled family members are met. • Clearly post your name and address, so it can be seen from the street. • Establish and practice a family evacuation plan and a meeting location. Determine who you will notify about your evacuation. Determine where you will get fire updates. (Code RED and E911 both called during the Little Bear Fire with updates and public meeting notifications. This was also how we found out we could go home finally.)

When Fire Is Nearby: • Park your vehicle facing out. Put your valuables in the car. Place the car keys where you can find them quickly. • Dress appropriately. Wear sturdy shoes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves and a handkerchief. • Confine or secure pets to one room or area. Prepare them to be transported.

If you have time: *Move all flammable furniture (including outdoor furniture) to the center of your home. *Close all your curtains. Heavy curtains will help deflect heat. Flimsy curtains may easily catch on fire and are best pulled down. *Clear a firebreak around the buildings. *Shut gas off at the meter. (Only a qualified professional can safely turn the gas back on.) *Turn off propane tanks. *Wet down your shrubs close to structures. *Wet down your roof and above ground fuel tanks. *Be sure to turn your outside faucets back off before you leave to conserve water for the firefighter later.

• Keep your electricity on and leave some lights on. When you leave, tie a bandana on your door knob to let the officials know you have left. They also recommend leaving the doors unlocked, but obviously this is up to you. When advised to evacuate, do so immediately. Chose a route away for the fire hazard and be alert to changes in the speed and direction of the fire and smoke.

#3. Fire Prevention Tips: *Take care with flammables. *Mow grass short. *Keep weeds trimmed. *Rake pine needles and leaves. *Clear away refuse. *Keep firewood away from structures, electric lines and rights-of-ways. *Allow your electric co-op, Otero County Electric Co-op (575) 336-4550, to keep power lines and rights-of-ways free of trees and shrubs. *Clear dead trees and limbs from your property. *Trim lower limbs of the trees up off the ground. *All home owners receive up to 12 yards of yard waste pick up as a service you pay for through Greentree Solid Waste Authority. *Trim dead or dormant shrubbery away from houses and out buildings. *Make a family evacuation plan. Have a meeting place in case you are separated at the time of the fire. The phone service was out all day June 9, both land and cell phone. This is why it is important to establish a meeting place. *Have an inventory of home valuables in a fireproof box.

!!If you own property in SVW &SD that does not have a structure on it – be a courteous, conscience owner. Keep your property free of dead or dying trees. Keep the wild grass and weeds trimmed and the pine needles raked. Call Greentree Solid Waste Authority (575) 378-4697 for information to dispose of your yard waste!!

Side note on the Little Bear Fire: Sun Valley Water installed a solar panel system to run their wells in April, 2012. When the power went down Saturday, June 9, because of the wildfire, our solar panels kept the water pumping and running the water system for the firefighters. The real fight with the wildfire on the borders of Little Creek and Sun Valley happened that day. You have some very forward thinking neighbors on your water board. We need to thank them for their time and effort.

During the days we were evacuated, Joe Buchanan, our system operator at the time, was here in Sun Valley every day making sure water was available to the fire fighters. We thank him for his dedication to his job.