Bill in New Mexico Legislature would encourage more fuel treatments on private ground

ip photo: mixed pine, fir and aspen stand after Las Conchas Fire 

Public land managers in New Mexico are conducting prescribed burns and fuel treatments throughout the central mountain chain ahead of seasonal wildfire conditions. The US Park Service is burning in the Pecos National Historical Park, the Santa Fe National Forest is burning slash piles in the Jemez Mountains and reducing fuels on the Rowe Mesa. In southwestern New Mexico the Gila National Forest is also gearing up for fuel reduction. 

The former administration blamed California wildfires on the lack of logging with statements typically devoid of facts but the real culprits are downed power lines and a warming climate. Over a half million wildfires are started by arsonists every year in the US and if you live in the wildland-urban interface government can't always protect you from your own stupidity. If counties and states just burned off their road and highway rights of way every year that creates substantial fire breaks. 

The Las Conchas Fire started in late June of 2011 when an aspen tree fell onto power lines in the Jemez Mountains then quickly spread and became one of the most extensive wildland fires in New Mexico history. 

But, instead of burning slash piles the federal government should consider biochar. Biochar got a boost during the Obama Administration so more applications for it are still being advanced by the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Like laws in other Western states, House Bill 57, the “Prescribed Burning Act,” would essentially ease the current liability standards encountered by private landowners who want to conduct prescribed burns, including pile burns related to thinning projects, and seeks to encourage more coordinated wildfire prevention and land management efforts across New Mexico. “Prescribed burning is the single most effective way to reduce the unwanted damaging impacts of wildfire in places that affect people in communities, that damages our water supply and water reliability, and places where wildlife habitat is important,” said N.M. State Forester Laura McCarthy, who testified Tuesday in support of HB 57 in front of the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee, where, with a few friendly amendments, the bill garnered a strong, bipartisan “do pass” recommendation without objection. “We have prescribed fire occurring today on federal and state lands, but very little is happening on the private lands. As you all know, fire doesn’t respect our jurisdictional boundaries.” [Silver City Daily Press]

Great article in @SantaFeReporter about the importance of he Prescribed Burning Act! Last year a prescribed burn helped keep the Medio Fire from expanding highlighting the usefulness of the practice. Burns are an important tool for forest management: https://t.co/rNL2MsuPMb

— EMNRD (@EmnrdNM) January 27, 2021