LAFD News:

Los Alamos County Deputy Chief Steve Dawald told the Los Alamos Daily Post that LAFD responded to two fire calls Saturday at Camp May.

The first call pertained to campfire left burning unattended.

The second call involved a campfire burning with day campers around it.

Dawald said that both fires were extinguished and the day campers at the second fire were notified that fires are not allowed at this time.

Fire danger is very high and Baseline Fire Restrictions went into effect May 8.

The following are NOT ALLOWED:

• Outdoor smoking in except designated areas.
• Use of fireworks is prohibited on County, or public lands, and open spaces.
• Exemption:  Professional firework display or pyrotechnics requires an approved permit by the Fire Marshal’s Office.
• Open burning is prohibited on private, County, public lands and open spaces. The burning of trash or rubbish is prohibited. No open burn permits will be issued by the Fire Marshal’s Office during fire restrictions.

Exemption: Prescribed burns for wildland management by an authorized federal, state or local agency requires approved permit by the Fire Marshal’s Office.

• Bonfires are prohibited. No bonfire permits will be issued by the Fire Marshal’s Office during fire restrictions.
• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal or wood stove, including fires in developed or undeveloped campgrounds on County land, specifically Camp May Campground and open spaces, is prohibited.

Exemption: Recreational fires are allowed in a constructed fixed fireplace, ring or grate no bigger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet tall and at least 25 feet away from structures with a spark arrestor at one- and two- family dwellings.

• Portable outdoor fireplaces, heaters, chimineas located 15 feet away from structures, however, this does NOT apply to one- and two- family dwellings.
• Outdoor gas stoves or grills fueled by NG or LPG fuels with shut-off valves, located 3 feet from all structures.
• Charcoal fires in contained barbeques or permanently constructed grills, rings, grates in improved site County parks are permitted.

An exemption does not absolve an individual or an organization from liability or responsibility for any fire started from the exempted activity.

National Parks, Monuments, Preserves and Wildlife Refuges host year-round fire restrictions. Contact Bandelier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve before visiting for specific information.