Staff ReportLos Alamos County Council this evening issued a proclamation declaring extreme fire conditions exist in Los Alamos County and imposing restrictions on the use of fireworks:
WHEREAS: the weather in North Central New Mexico, including Los Alamos County, has been extremely dry, resulting in severe drought conditions in Los Alamos County; and
WHEREAS: the National Weather Service publishes drought indices which indicate that drought conditions are likely to continue and deteriorate for the next 30 days, including Los Alamos County; and
WHEREAS: heavy fuel loading, low humidity, heat and wind forecasts in the County increase the danger of wildland, brush, grass and forest fires to extremely high in Los Alamos County; and
WHEREAS: these fires would threaten homes and structures, putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk; and
WHEREAS: pursuant to the New Mexico Fireworks Licensing and Safety Act, Section 60-2C-1 et. seq. NMSA 1978, as amended, the Los Alamos County Council is authorized to ban or limit the use and sale of certain fireworks when extreme or severe drought conditions exist as determined by the County Council based upon National Weather Service indices and other relevant information supplied by the United States Forest Service; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the Incorporated County of Los Alamos does hereby proclaim that locally extreme or severe drought conditions exist and high fire hazards represent a significant and immediate threat to the safety, health, and welfare of our citizens in Los Alamos County; and
THEREFORE, sale and use of aerial fireworks and ground audible fireworks including helicopters, aerial spinners, missile type rockets, stick type rockets, chasers and firecrackers are prohibited for the next thirty (30) days in accordance with state statute and the County Code;
THEREFORE, the use of roman candles, shells and mines is limited within Los Alamos County to areas that are paved or barren or that have a readily accessible source of water for use by any homeowner or the public; and
THEREFORE, Nothing in this Proclamation shall prohibit a County – approved display of fireworks, except that any individual, association, partnership, corporation, or organization shall comply with the terms of any agreement with the County and shall secure a written permit from the County, and the display fireworks shall be purchased from a distributor or display distributor licensed by the State Fire Marshal and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms at the United States Department of Treasury, pursuant to Section 60-2C-9, NMSA, 1978.
ADOPTED by the Los Alamos County Council this 10th day of June 2014.
