Carson National Forest to resume prescribed fire operations
Willow Piles burn is the first on the Carson since nationwide pause
Carson National Forest fire crews are preparing to resume prescribed fire operations this winter, with the first controlled burn in nearly a year set to take place west of Tres Piedras as soon as Feb. 7.
An open house regarding the Willow Piles Prescribed Fire and future projects in the Tres Piedras area was held Wednesday evening (Jan. 25) at the Tres Piedras Ranger Station, 22280 US 64, Tres Piedras, NM 87577.
The Willow Piles burn, which will only move forward pending suitable conditions, represents the Carson National Forest’s first burn since the U.S Forest Service National Prescribed Fire Review was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in September. The last prescribed fire on the Carson was a pile burn implemented on March 16 near San Cristobal.
Last May, about a month after a winter pile burn in the neighboring Santa Fe National Forest reignited and merged with an outof-control prescribed burn near Hermits Peak, U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore announced a pause in prescribed fire operations nationwide pending completion of the review.
The perimeter of the Calf Canyon–Hermits Peak Fire grew to over 341,000 acres, making it the largest wildfire in the state’s history. It caused massive damage to property, infrastructure, watersheds and local economies. Thousands of residents across four counties were displaced during the most active months of the blaze, which was declared fully contained on Aug. 21.
“We are thoughtfully moving forward with our prescribed fire program,” Carson National Forest Supervisor James Duran said in a press release. “I want to ensure staff are getting to know the new guidelines and to hold space for conversations in the community as we plan more prescribed fire operations around the Forest.”
After Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor Debbie Cress was reassigned in the wake of the Calf Canyon–Hermits Peak Fire, Duran was tapped to temporarily replace her and oversee both the Carson and Santa Fe national forests. With the announcement last Friday (Jan. 27) that Shaun Sanchez has been selected as the Santa Fe’s new acting supervisor, Duran returned to duty solely as Carson National Forest supervisor. Sanchez begins his new job on Monday (Feb. 6).
“We appreciate James stepping in to provide leadership over both the Carson and Santa Fe during an extremely challenging period,” Southwestern Regional Forester Michiko Martin said in a press release.
Experts recognize prescribed burns as an essential tool with which to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires by removing hazardous fuels, and also foster improved forest health by returning nutrients to the soil. Fuels specialists write prescribed fire plans that identify — or prescribe — the best conditions under which forest vegetation and debris will burn to get the best results safely. Burn plans consider temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, and conditions for smoke dispersion.
Residents and local officials roundly criticized the Forest Service for moving forward with the prescribed burn that grew on high spring winds into the Hermits Peak Fire, but the Carson National Forest has no plans to prohibit controlled burns on a seasonal basis, according to a spokesperson. New contingencies have been added to burn plans, however.
The spokesperson told the
Taos News that “Ignitions are also now only authorized for a 24-hour period; if that period expires, authorization must be evaluated and authorized again.”
Additionally, the spokesperson said the Willow Piles burn will be different than past actions, “in that
there will be more frequent patrols over a longer period post-ignition.”
New burn plan checklists, which include a “check-in on human factors and pressures,” will also be utilized, the spokesperson said.
“If conditions become adverse, there is a step-up plan for increased staffing; and tools such as drones and satellite imagery may be used as needed and available to us to assist with monitoring,” the spokesperson continued, adding that due to the high amount of snow on the Willow Piles project, “the number of staff required by the plan is low.”
The Forest Service’s national fire management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, and that strategy includes reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. In order to maintain resiliency, fire-adapted forests in the Southwest region must undergo fire disturbance on a regular basis. After prescribed fire is completed, if a future wildfire reaches this area, the fire behavior will likely be modified to a less intense, more manageable surface fire due to the absence of accumulated debris and ladder fuels.
Ignitions at the Willow Pile Prescribed Fire project could start as early as Feb. 7. An exact ignition date will depend upon weather and fuel conditions being within prescription as outlined in the project burn plan. Implementation announcements and updates will be posted on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Carson National Forest’s website, Facebook page and Twitter feed.
Piles of slash created from 500 acres of thinning may be treated throughout an area south of US 64 between Tres Piedras and Hopewell Lake. A total of 53 inches of snow has fallen in the area so far this season, according to the latest data from National Water and Climate Center. Ninety-five acres were completed in winter 2022. More acres will be addressed in future years as mechanical thinning is completed.
The area has been the focus of a commercial timber sale and forest thinning to reduce stand densities, improve wildlife habitat foraging and to facilitate the reintroduction of fire to the landscape. It’s one of many projects within the Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project, which spans 3.8 million acres in New Mexico and Colorado, including 800,000 acres within the Carson, to improve and maintain water quality and watershed function and restore natural fire regimes using prescribed fire, among other goals.