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Las Conchas Wildfire – Day 8 — Why Now?
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Las Conchas Wildfire – Day 8

by Bryan

Las Conchas WildfireAnother successful day of minimal growth and continuing containment. The fire is being split into thirds from halves to make it easier to manage.

The change in wind direction has helped on the East side of the fire, blowing the fire back into areas already burned over, and allowing for effective back fires.

Information from the current Las Conchas Wildfire InciWeb Page

  • Date Started: 6/26/2011
  • Location: Jemez Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest; approximately 12 miles southwest of Los Alamos off NM 4 at mile marker 35, New Mexico
  • Cause: Falling tree hit power lines
  • Size: 127,821 acres [200 miles² 517 km²] based on infrared data
  • Percent Contained: 27%
  • Injuries to Date: 4
  • Residences: 410 threatened; 63 destroyed; 3 damaged
  • Commercial Property: 45 threatened; 5 destroyed; 3 damaged
  • Outbuildings: 110 threatened; 32 destroyed
  • Number of Personnel: Approximately 2,196 including 54 hand crews
  • Equipment: 10 dozers, 81 engines, 35 watertenders
  • Aircraft: 18 helicopters, 5 air tankers available
  • Incident Commander: Dan Oltrogge, Area Command Team 1

Overview

Warmer temperatures will increase fire activity producing significant smoke.

Santa Clara Area: East and northeast winds pushed the fire toward the north slope of Chicoma Peak, above Road 144 within Oso Canyon. Chicoma Peak is located northeast of the Santa Clara Pueblo, on reservation lands.

Los Alamos: High temperatures and strong winds resulted in active fire west of Los Alamos. However, the Cerro Grande burn scar and the easterly winds prevented the fire from spreading east.

Valles Caldera National Preserve: Firefighters continued efforts to secure the northwest fingers of the fire in the upper valley. This fire line is now generally contained. Crews continued to patrol and hold the mop up in the southern end of the Valle Grande.

Vallecitos de Los Indios/Sierra Los Pinos: Crews mopped up and secured the handline north of Hwy 26 where the fire line was established near the communities of Vallecitos de Los Indios and Sierra Los Pinos. Crews monitored the communication towers, which remain intact. Improvement continued along the indirect dozer line that will serve as a contingency line.

Bearhead Peak: This area experienced moderate fire activity today. Firefighters continued preparation of Forest Road 266 and the cultural and historic sites within the indirect line.

Bland Canyon: Crews continue to mop up and clear roads in Bland Canyon to allow local residents to return to their properties in the near future.

Resource advisors from the local pueblos continue to work with the incident management team to identify sensitive historical and cultural sites within the fire area. Archeologists are working with crews and equipment to avoid and protect these sites. As a result of these efforts, there has been almost no damage caused by fire suppression activities.

[For the latest information click on the Fire symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Fires” for all of the posts related to wildfires on this site.]