Forest Stewards Guild News:
SANTA FE – Since 2018, a diverse array of partners have worked with The Nature Conservancy’s Rio Grande Water Fund and the Forest Stewards Guild to implement prescribed fire across more than 12,515 acres to protect water sources, wildlife and forests while reducing wildfire risk.
These forests are adapted to fire and require recurrent low intensity burns to remain healthy. The All Hands All Lands Burn Team (Burn Team) is a fully fire-qualified team designed to lead prescribed burns or support others in burning across a variety of land jurisdictions.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Burn Team took a strategic pause from prescribed fire operations to focus on burn planning and to learn how to safely operate in a COVID-19 environment.
This pause resulted in the mobilization of a 4-person Pile Burn Squad (Squad) in the winter of 2020-2021. The Burn Team is building on their success to once again employ a Pile Burn Squad over winter 2021-2022.
The Squad will conduct regular smallscale pile burns to address the backlog of piled fuels on private lands. They may also support burns on municipal, federal or tribal jurisdictions.
Prescribed burns planned for this winter season include:
- Extended Glorieta Camps Piles (Santa Fe County);
- Rancho del Ojo Piles (Rio Arriba County near Coyote); and
- 64/162 Piles (Rio Arriba County near Tierra Amarilla).
Piles are created from hand thinning projects and are part of a long-term process to make forests and watersheds more resilient to disturbances. Even when merchantable and usable forest products like firewood, latillas, or vigas are removed and utilized, the tops and limbs of trees remain on the land and are often piled for future burning.
The Squad will actively use emissions reduction techniques to minimize smoke impacts to local communities. They will do this in close coordination with local fire departments and air quality regulators. Media, elected officials, and landowners interested in observing a burn are encouraged to contact Eytan Krasilovsky as soon as possible to coordinate.
To find out more and stay up to date, visit https://facnm.org/our-projects/all-hands-all-lands-burn-team. More information on smoke, human health, and a HEPA Filter Loan Program can be accessed by visiting https://facnm.org/smoke. Learn more about Fire Adapted Communities New Mexico at www.facnm.org.
