Las Conchas BAER Implementation Update 7-30-11
Incident: Las Conchas Wildfire
Released: 7/30/2011
Santa Fe National Forest
Las Conchas Fire
Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Implementation
-BAER Treatment Information-
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2406/
Saturday, July 30, 2011
The Las Conchas fire is 99% contained and suppression work is winding down. Suppression of active fire in the Chicoma Mountain area is essentially complete, but some active fire was found Friday near the perimeter on the southwest flank of the fire. Patrol, mop up, chipping of brush and trees, and restoration of hand lines and dozer lines is still in progress within the burned area. Some suppression resources excess to our needs will be demobilized today. The BAER Implementation Team continues emergency treatments in the Las Conchas fire area within the Santa Fe National Forest, Valles Caldera National Preserve, and Bandelier National Monument.
Significant rain fell on portions of the fire area yesterday. A remote automated weather station on the Jemez Ranger District recorded 1.25 inches of rain in a one hour time period. Heavy rainfall within the Valles Caldera National Preserve damaged roads VCR 2 and VCR 12 and delayed chipping operations. Repairs will continue today after reassessment of appropriate treatments. Yesterday the Channel Group nearly finished construction of two Barksdale trash collectors along FR 289. Completion of that effort is expected today. The Cultural Assessment group assessed 14 sites yesterday and directional felling of trees was employed again to protect cultural sites. Assessment will continue today. Crews will remove the Peralta Bridge on Trail 140 today, placing it in a safe location for future reinstallation. Hazard tree removal and seeding will take place today on Pajarito Mountain.
The Santa Fe National Forest issued a partial lifting of fire restrictions, effective today. For additional information about closures, contact the Valles Caldera National Preserve at (866)382-5537 and http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/ for the Santa Fe National Forest.
Santa Fe National Forest officials continue evaluating the hazards and risks on forest roads accessing private property within the burned area to determine which roads may be reopened and when. The risk and safety assessment is underway and may be completed in the next several days.
Additional BAER implementation treatment information is available on InciWeb at: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2406/, or contact Mike Ferris, Public Information Officer at mferris@fs.fed.us, phone (208)559-5367.
