'Potentially historic' wildfire event threatens New Mexico, Southwest

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

Critical-to-extreme wildfire conditions are about to take hold of the southwestern United States and parts of Colorado, leading into what could be a lengthy, multiday and memorable outbreak of wildfires and/or wildfire conditions. Warm to locally scorching temperatures, bone-dry air and strong mountain gusts are set to overlap for several days, part of a summerlike weather pattern that comes without the chance of any meaningful rainfall.

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque is calling it a “dangerous, long duration and potentially historic critical fire weather event.” Tinderbox conditions conducive to the rapid spread of blazes are expected to persist well into next week. Sunday may present the most extreme combination of high winds and hot, dry air.

“New Mexico is facing 100 straight hours of the worst possible set of fire conditions, with high temperatures & extreme winds,” tweeted Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) on Friday. “It is critically important to abide by evacuation orders. Your life & safety is top priority.”

She added: “I ask every New Mexican to do everything you can to prevent any additional fire incident, anything that could cause a spark. No open flames, no campfires, no open grills, no welding, no tossing cigarette butts — please work with us to prevent fires and preserve resources.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/07/wildfires-new-mexico-southwest-calfcanyon/

[alittlelark]

1. It has been brutal here.

[TygrBright]

2. Yes, it's going to be a difficult week or so... and more if we get more fires.

Right now we're between two large blazes - SAFE from both, by virtue of topography, but Cerro Pelado to the West and Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak to the East are generating plenty of smoke and the air quality can deteriorate from "mildly stinky" to "stay in with all the windows closed and think about wearing masks to bed" with a change of just a couple of degrees in wind direction.

Thousands are evacuating. Friends have lost family homes, been displaced by the blazes.

It is indeed tinder-dry.

I am keeping the peas, strawberries and peaches watered, but putting off more planting.

In addition to smoke, there is plenty of dust being carried on the winds.

If you're thinking about a visit to Santa Fe, put it off for a few weeks. Should be nicer then.

hopefully,
Bright

[Warpy]

6. I found a little ash on my wheelie bin after the last cool front came through

but the fires are mostly to the north--for now--so not much smoke.

This state is beyond dry, two small snowstorms over the winter and nothing since. Today was our first day 90+. Sucks to have windows closed against both drift smoke and pollen.

So I agree, put that NM vacation off until the end of September, beginning of October. And do wait until the fires are out.

You'll never think of fall the same way again when you smell chile roasting.

(I gave up gardening in the late 90s, water is just too expensive)

[Beartracks]

11. Truer words were never spoken!

"You'll never think of fall the same way again when you smell chile roasting."



============

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Historic and unprecedented until the next one

This is the new normal. Every summer will see hellish fires until we're a desert everywhere, with even the mountains denuded.

[Bo Zarts]

4. I'll be headed out to work fire season in the Idaho high country on about June 1.

I talked with my FMO (fire management officer) yesterday. There is still lots of snow in the high country. Since my lookout is on a 10,000-foot peak, I have to wait until the "road" opens to get up there. In 2020 it was about July 8 before the road was passable.

But the grasses at the lower elevations have had beaucoup moisture, so they are growing like crazy. Then the grasses dry out. And lightning or humans come, and fire results. And the lookouts are not yet staffed because the higher elevation access is still closed because of snow and winter blow-down.

If the snow melts more quickly than normal, they might need me earlier. Or they might need me elsewhere .. like Arizona or New Mexico.

Fire season is now year 'round. Verb sap.


Bear Creek Fire from my Idaho lookout in August 2020


Devil's Garden Fire from my Oregon lookout in September 2011

[electric_blue68]

5. Good luck to you all! So scary. :( I remember last year's photos from California

[Bayard]

7. Can New Mexico hold out till monsoon season?

Or are they even expecting much rain then?

[Mountain Mule]

8. I live in the Colorado part of the Four Corners about 20 miles from the NM state line

It was down right eerie here from about 5pm tonight (Saturday) until dark. Normally I have a terrific view of the local Sleeping Ute Mountains which are sacred to the Ute Mountain Utes, my next door neighbors. I was stunned when I looked out my windows and couldn't even see the Ute. The mountain was completely shrouded in smoke that was blowing in from the south. As the sun began to set the smoke that hid the Ute turned to a sort of pink-orange-grey, a color I've never seen before. Since sundown the wind has kicked up with on-going gusts of 25 mph. Tomorrow the wind is forecast to be even worse with gusts of over 40 mph.

Everything around here is bone dry - we had no spring rains that were even worth mentioning. I don't care for the situation here in the Four Corners at all. I am going to have to make sure that the crates I keep in case I have to evacuate my animals in an emergency are all in good working order. I'm also going to put 20 gallons of water in the jeep along with a stash of pet food. Then my mind will be slightly more at ease. Me, I don't worry about but my fur faces are all the family I have.

I am probably just being paranoid, but better safe than sorry.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

9. The USFS has way too many regressive anti-environment Trump worshipers

among its ranks. Head of the USFS Randy Moore is a great pick for the job, but way too many of those who work under him are more dedicated to the MAGAt King than they are to preserving and protecting our national public lands.

Every regressive Trump worshiper must be removed from their position in the US Forest Service, while at the same time, more funding needs to go into hiring more progressive USFS personnel, dramatically increasing the number of USFS personnel, and sound, progressive management of our national public lands.

Decades of pro-corporate management of the USDA and USFS have led to this situation in the western US, where cattle and oil are more important than sound management of our country's National Forests.

There are a lot of great people work for the USFS, who are dedicated to serving the people and our public lands, but the anti-environment, pro-corporate worshipers of the MAGAt King who work in the USFS, and who hate President Biden and environmentalists, hinder sane management of our forests.

I deal with these MAGAt assholes in the USFS all the time, and they are less than useless, while the normal folks who work for the USFS are wonderful, helpful, knowledgeable, and dedicated stewards of our National Forests and our environment....

....at least to the degree that they are permitted to be so by their MAGAt King loving superiors. Root out the MAGAts for the sake of the health of the planet.

[jeffreyi]

10. About these conditions, a fire weather forecaster advised to "don't even fart outside."

Wise words.