Local officials plan to enact restrictions
Local governments are gearing up for what could be a difficult fire season and plan to implement restrictions within a few weeks.
Santa Fe County is readying plans that would start fire restrictions in April and would be similar to previous county ordinances, said spokeswoman Kristine Mihelcic. Those would include no open burning, campfires, smoking on county property, off-road vehicles in county parks or wildland areas, and no littering on public roadways with smoking materials.
Penalties for violating the ordinance have typically included up to 90 days of jail time or a fine of up to $300 — or both.
It’s expected the ordinance would last for 90 days, but officials could go back to county commissioners to extend it. The county has already held four public outreach meetings to raise awareness of the dangers of the coming fire season, Mihelcic said.
The city of Santa Fe matches its restrictions to fire conditions, and discussions have started, said fire Chief Erik Litzenberg. Restrictions, which could be in place by mid- to late April, will address the types of fireworks that can be sold.
Other restrictions could include bans on open burning, bonfires, use of outdoor fireplaces, charcoal barbecues in public and smoking. The restrictions would take the form of a City Council resolution and would last two weeks, with an option for renewal every two weeks. Litzenberg said he would like to see the rules in place “until fire conditions are no longer extreme.”
The state of New Mexico has no fire restrictions at present, but “individual counties, villages, towns, etc. can implement their own through their fire marshal, county commission, local leadership,” a State Forestry Division spokeswoman said.
Los Alamos County has no restrictions at this time but is monitoring the situation. The county is issuing public service announcements, asking property owners to create defensible space around homes by clearing away and trimming back brush, vegetation and pine needles. The Los Alamos Fire Department will hold an educational event March 31 as part of its outreach effort.