This last week, because the smoke cleared from Arizona's Wallow fire, we've been having our own little party in the Santa Fe National Forest. (un)Fortunately it's on Forest Service land so most of the S.Fe City and County folks don't get to play -- the county Black Canyon Handcrew responded on the first day, but I'm not sure they are still deployed. It started around the far reaches of the Borrego Trail where the power lines cross and is traveling up the north face of Santa Fe Baldy -- away from town if the winds hold from the SW. It's on really rugged terrain so access is limited to very healthy hikers. Over 600 personnel are deployed and their base camp is in the muni-rec-area out west of town by the dump. A dust devil blew through yesterday and took out the mess tent. It could be the Rapture, as promised.
Anyway, it ain't goin out until the rains come. Pretty much all the fire-fighters can do is try to contain it by "cutting-line" and "burning-out" in it's path and hope that it doesn't throw spots further than can be reached in time.
I've been taking a picture around 4 or 5 pm every day or so, pretty much directly north from my house but I have to walk around the intervening hillock to get the view. This one is June 18 a couple hours after it started. Notice the black, heavy-fuel driven plume on the left:
Then June 19, it looked like it might be calming down a b it:
And on June 23, maybe it's sorta under control?
Nope. Today, June 25, it seems to be rip-roaring again:
Fire information, such as it is, for larger wildland fires in New Mexico can be found on NM Fire Info and somewhat more extensive data for National Forest incidents in NM is on InciWeb which sometimes also has a useful map.
Now we're waiting for the Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza.
No comments:
Post a Comment