Portions of Bandelier National Monument to Reopen
Incident: Las Conchas Burned Area Emergency Respon Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation
Released: 7/14/2011
Bandelier National Monument News Release July 14, 2011
For Immediate Release
Dena Matteson, Public Information Officer 573-707-4318
Portions of Bandelier National Monument to Reopen
Several areas of Bandelier National Monument will open to visitors on Friday, July 15. The entire monument had been closed to the public as a result of the Las Conchas Fire, which began on June 26. Since that time park staff and the Intermountain Incident Management Team have been working diligently to resolve safety issues and threats to valuable resources in order to resume park operations.The areas that will open on July 15 include:
Tsankawi Section. Off-trail travel is prohibited due to fire restrictions. No entrance fees will be collected at Tsankawi at this time.
Juniper Campground and Amphitheater. Interpretive programs will be conducted at the amphitheater on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8:30 p.m. Campfires are currently prohibited due to fire restrictions.
Overlook Trail
Burnt Mesa Trail
The remainder of the monument is still closed in the aftermath of the Las Conchas Fire, which burned 20,800 acres of Bandelier National Monument. The severity of the fire resulted in a loss of vegetation that provides soil stabilization and caused a water-repellent condition in the soil. With the monsoon season beginning these conditions could lead to devastating floods in Frijoles Canyon where the park's visitor center, administrative offices, and a large number of cultural and historic sites are located. Diversion dikes, waterproof barriers, and sandbags have been installed in this area to mitigate the potential damage from flooding.For more information, please visit our www.nps.gov/band, or the monument's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BandelierNPS.
Bandelier National MonumentLos Alamos, NM 87544505-672-3861
