Members of the public gather to hear the latest update on the Cerro Pelado Fire early this evening at the community meeting in Griffith Gymnasium. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos County Fire Department (LAFD) Wildland Division Chief Kelly Sterna assures the community at this evening’ s meeting that assisting with the Cerro Pelado Fire is not restricting LAFD’s ability to respond to local calls. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
As far as weather conditions for combating the Cerro Pelado Fire, it is not shaping up to be a good weekend and this dire forecast isn’t expected to change next week.
Incident Weather Meteorologist Scott Stearns said Saturday and Sunday both have red flag warnings. The warnings run 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Wind speeds are expected to be sustained at 20 mph with gusts approaching 35-40 mph Saturday but the biggest concern, he said, is Sunday when the winds are expected to reach 30 mph and have gusts up to 50 mph.
A fire weather watch is expected 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday. Stearns said the wind is expected to slow down Tuesday but is forecast to pick up again later.
Stearns pointed out that it is not just this area that will experience a critical fire day but communities across New Mexico as well.
Regarding the fire’s activity, Fire Behavior Analyst Robert Burnside said they are dealing with large fire scar leftover from the Las Conchas Fire.
“Generally, fire scars are good for us because we use them to stop fires but this fire … the grasses have come back up, the shrubbery has come back … it has actually created a fuel model almost like a slash fuel model but it’s got some sparks so the fire is carrying well of there if it has the wind on it,” he said.
There also is dead timber left from the Las Conchas Fire, Burnside said.
“So, what’s happening is … when it gets into the old growth for the most part it tends to drop down on the ground and burn under it. Unfortunately, when it gets slope and wind alignment it gets into the crowns …,” he said.
The real question is what will happen in the future.
Burnside said the upcoming wind event is predicted to make the fire flank back down to N.M. 4. The wind also is expected to push the fire easterly into the canyons.
“I wish I had great news that there was no threat whatsoever; honest truth is there are threats to this country out there that our folks are working hard to address,” he said.
Right now the primary line is Road 289, Jeff Server of Great Basin Management Team said.
“We are working off of 289, hopefully we hold it there but if this fire does come around (and) be able to come south and makes runs to the north with the south, southwest wind, it will have a pretty good opportunity to cross 289 … if it does, we have management action points,” he said. “They have a narrative that goes with them that talks about what happens if the fire crosses that line … it may be a phone call to the next jurisdiction tell them, ‘Hey, this fire is getting closer to you, what do you want to do or what do you want us to do?’ …”
Server added that discussions have already started with fire protection agencies to determine what happens if the fire crosses 289 and goes to N.M. 4.
“We plan for the worst and hope for the best,” he said.
In planning for the worst, Los Alamos County Emergency Manager Beverley Simpson discussed the management action points.
If the fire crosses Road 289 and is deemed out of control, that is when Los Alamos County will move into “set” in the “ready, set, go” procedure, she said. The County is still in ready.
Simpson added that there are resources available on the County website for questions, transport assistance and assistance for companion animals needing shelter. She said for questions on sheltering companion animals, people also can call the Customer Care Center at 505.662.8333. She reported that there is RV parking listed on the site and Buffalo Thunder donated spots for RVs. Water and dumping for RVs is available at the Pojoaque Roadrunner. Additionally, the rural events center in Rio Arriba County has offered sites for large animals and companion animals. Shelters for people are available in Glorieta; Geneva Chavez Center will be a backup site as well as the Pojoaque Schools.
It is not anticipated that White Rock will need to evacuate, Simpson said, but that could change with the fire behavior.
Nothing is certain about what will unfold; however, LANL Wildland Fire Program Manager Rich Nieto praised all the parties and agencies involved in the effort to combat the Cerro Pelado Fire.
“I like to thank Southern Area Red Team … and I want to welcome the Great Basin Team … it is a huge undertaking so I want to thank those folks,” Nieto said. “…all the work they’ve done on Highway 4 … they’ve done a lot of good work on Highway 4. I really appreciate the boots on the ground with firefighters … they’ve done great effort out there.”
Los Alamos County Emergency Manager Beverley Simpson discusses the measures in place should Los Alamos County need to evacuate. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com