Valencia County Residents Urged to Prepare Now for Wildfire Season

The Unified Fire has burned more than 500 acres in the bosque near Casa Colorada this week, with structures still threatened and the cause under investigation. Valencia County Fire Chief Matt Propp said during a Tuesday afternoon briefing that while there was zero percent containment, wildland fire crews were making progress in keeping the flames from spreading. The fire is a pointed reminder of what county emergency planners have long warned: wildfire risk in Valencia County is real every spring and fall, and most households are not ready.

The Unified Fire was discovered at 10:49 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, near Madrone, east of Interstate 25 and south of Rio Communities. Officials said the fire had jumped the Rio Grande onto the west side, was burning on both sides, and was developing a lot of spot fires. The Belen Community Center at 305 Eagle Lane served as the emergency shelter for residents forced from their homes along Madrone Flyway and Lagrima Road. The Valencia County Community Wildfire Protection Plan notes that community members across the county "are familiar with large fires," citing the Rio Grande Complex in 2000, the Belen Fire in 2007, and the Trigo fire in 2008 as recent examples. This week's blaze is the latest entry in that grim record.

The county's wildfire protection plan, developed with guidance from the Society of American Foresters' 2004 handbook for wildland-urban interface communities, makes clear that the danger extends well beyond the bosque. Residents in grassland and shrubland areas of the county face a separate and fast-moving threat, with the plan specifically recommending that those households mow borders around their property, reduce the presence of weeds, and harden their homes against flame impingement from fast-moving grass fires.

For bosque-adjacent properties in Los Lunas, Belen, and surrounding communities, a locally produced preparedness pamphlet funded by a Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant from the New Mexico Association of Counties outlines concrete steps every household should take before a fire arrives. Creating a firebreak between the bosque and your property, keeping grass cut short, parking vehicles and equipment on dirt, gravel, or concrete rather than over dry vegetation, and storing gas and other flammable liquids in a shed away from the main structure all lower the odds that an approaching fire finds easy fuel. Firewood should be stored away from structures and equipment, and house numbers must be clearly visible so that firefighters can locate properties quickly.

When an evacuation order comes, seconds matter. The pamphlet instructs residents to put on cotton clothing with long sleeves, boots, and gloves before leaving. Before exiting the home, close all windows and all doors into garages, barns, and sheds. Close the windows of any vehicles left behind. Turn off ventilation fans, close the valve on the propane tank, and turn on all outdoor lights. If time allows, set up a sprinkler to spray vegetation directly next to the home.

What to take follows a five-item framework the pamphlet calls the five P's: pills, eyeglasses, and other medical supplies; pictures, small artwork, jewelry, and other important mementos; pets, pet food, leashes, and pet carriers; papers such as birth certificates and tax records; and a phone, charger, and the phone numbers of people to call.

Horse owners across Valencia County face an additional set of decisions. The pamphlet advises getting horses accustomed to loading in a trailer before fire season, not during an emergency. If fire is approaching, remove fly masks and any tack made from plastic or nylon, since leather and cotton are more fire-safe. Because neighbors or firefighters may turn horses loose to keep them from being trapped, every animal should carry some form of identification: a brand, a microchip, or the owner's name written on the tack. Carrying a photograph of each animal can help others locate them after the emergency passes.

Updates on active wildfires and prescribed burns in New Mexico are available through the Valencia County News Bulletin. Individuals sensitive to wildfire smoke should use the New Mexico Department of Health's 5-3-1 Visibility Method to determine whether it is safe to be outside. With the Unified Fire still active and spring wind conditions persisting across the valley, there is no safer time to act on that checklist than today.