LAFD Chief Troy Hughes
LAFD News:
Los Alamos Fire Chief Troy Hughes reports that the Independence Day celebration came and went without any fire incidents, thanks to voluntary cooperation from community members in giving fireworks a “pass” during the extreme drought conditions Los Alamos is facing.
“We could not have been more pleased with the community’s response to our plea last week to keep the 4th of July fireworks-free,” Hughes said. “Overall, we observed very few instances of fireworks used in private celebrations. It was a peaceful, quiet day and that’s great news! I would just like to give the community a heart-felt thank-you from LAFD for their cooperation and diligence. It made a huge difference for firefighters and we are very grateful to Los Alamos and White Rock residents for their help and support.”
Hughes said the fireworks restriction will continue to be in place until it expires July 12. Rain is expected to begin from seasonal monsoon flows moving into Northern New Mexico over the next few days, which may help alleviate some of the conditions, but he said it will take quite a bit of moisture to drop fire threat levels back to moderate or less. The County continues to be in Stage III Fire Restrictions. Unpaved trails throughout the County remain closed.
“We continue to urge everyone to stay safe and be vigilant,” Hughes said, “Report any fire activity that you may see to 911 – don’t presume someone already knows about it. With storms moving into the area, we will also increase the chances of a lightning-caused fire in the surrounding forest areas. We continue to ask the community to support our efforts to keep Los Alamos County safe during this time when so many communities around us are fighting wildfires.”
Hughes reminded community members that the County has several on-line resources for making a property more “defensible” in a wildfire situation, along with other family preparedness tips. Visit: https://www.losalamosnm.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=6435810&pageId=6504569
To review the Stage III Fire Restrictions, click here: https://www.losalamosnm.us/news/stage_3_fire_restrictions_take_effect_june_1st
