Forest Supervisor Shaun Sanchez
SFNF News:
SANTA FE — The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) in partnership with the Forest Stewards Guild will jointly host a “live” online Facebook webinar hosting a panel discussion on the use of prescribed fire on the Santa Fe National Forest noon to 1 p.m. Friday, April 21.
Listen to Forest Supervisor Shaun Sanchez and Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Marshall as they discuss practices and procedural changes following the national 90-day pause on prescribed burning.
Forest Fire Management Officer Terrance Gallegos discusses implementing the seven tactical changes from an operational basis. The webinar will be moderated by a representative of the Fire Adapted New Mexico Learning Network (FAC NM); a statewide network of people willing to take collective action to increase wildfire resilience. A question-and-answer session will follow the panel presentations.
How to join the webinar?
Go to the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page to the “Live” event.
Background
In April 2022, the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire, one of the largest fires in New Mexico history burned nearly 342,000 acres. This fire started when a prescribed burn escaped, and a “sleeper” fire surfaced from burning piles of brush and limbs. Under normal conditions these would probably not be of much concern. Unprecedented wind and weather events resulted in rapid and uncontrollable spread of fire.
On average, the Forest Service ignites about 4,500 prescribed fires each year, treating about 1.3 million acres across the National Forest System. Almost all prescribed fires—99.84 percent—go according to plan.
May 20, 2022, USDA Forest Service Chief Randy Moore temporarily paused prescribed burning on National Forest System lands nationwide for 90 days to conduct a national review of the Forest Services prescribed burn program.
Sept. 8, 2022, the USDA Forest Service released the National Fire Program Review and the Chief allowed the Forest Service’s prescribed fire program to resume with the requirement that all seven tactical recommendations identified in the Review are followed and implemented. See the links below for a list of the seven tactical recommendations and for more information.
Additional Information Links:
- National Prescribed Fire Program Review, Sept. 2022 – USDA Forest Service National Prescribed Fire Program Review (higherlogicdownload.s3-external-1.amazonaws.com)
USDA Forest Service News Release, Sept. 8, 2022
- USDA Forest Service Chief Randy Moore’s statement announcing actions the Forest Service will take to resume its prescribed fire program safely and effectively after completion of its 90-day national review | US Forest Service
- Forest Stewards Guild – New Mexico Forest Health Initiative – Forest Stewards Guild
- Fire Adapted New Mexico Learning Network (FAC NM) – Fire Adapted NM Learning Network (facnm.org)
