Las Conchas Fire churns rough country

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) - Warmer, drier weather and rugged terrain are hampering efforts to contain the state's largest wildfire burning near Los Alamos.

Fire officials say many areas actively burning within the fire's perimeter are on steep, broken ground. Crews are conducting burnouts and mopping up as the fire reaches gentler slopes.

The Las Conchas fire has charred more than 233 square miles since being sparked June 26. It's now 57 percent contained.

The burned area covers massive portions of the Jemez Mountains, and environmentalists and some property owners are concerned about the vulnerability of the soil.

While most of the Santa Fe National Forest is closed due to fire danger, the group wants forest officials to issue an indefinite emergency closure order to motorized recreational vehicles and country-country travel within the fire's perimeter.

Flood Alert:

The National Weather Service reports radar indications of heavy rain northwest of Los Alamos over the Las Conchas Fire burn scar, Santa Clara Canyon, Rio del Oso and surrounding areas.

Shortly before noon the weather service said up to 0.5 inch of rain had fallen with another 0.25 inch possible.

An arroyo and small-stream flood advisory remains in effect until 2 p.m. for the area described as northern Los Alamos County, south-central Rio Arriba County, northeastern Sandoval County and extreme northwestern Santa Fe County.

Latest update from Incident Management Team, July 14:

Yesterday’s weather was warmer and drier, with periods of gusty winds. Similar weather is expected for the rest of the week, including a chance of scattered thunderstorms. This is generating more fire activity, resulting in an increase in the smoke. The increased high pressure system will cause smoky conditions around the fire area.

Many of the uncontained areas with active fire are on steep, broken ground where firefighters cannot safely work. As the fire burns to gentler slopes, fire personnel can burnout and mop up these sections of the fire perimeter.

On the southwest edge, the fire has been backing down the slope from Peralta Ridge toward Forest Road (FR) 266. The strong, erratic winds from the forecasted thunderstorm could push the fire over FR 266. The current warming and drying trend is making the fire burn hotter, consuming more of the trees and shrubs. Working mostly at night and when the winds are calm, firefighters are gradually burning out this area, creating a low-intensity ground fire. The burnout will secure this portion of the line while minimizing impacts on the area.

Most parts of the fire are considered contained and are in patrol status. Fire personnel continue to check for and extinguish remaining hot spots near the containment lines. Work is also being done on firelines and other exposed soils to reduce the potential for erosion when the rains come.

Accurate mapping is an essential fire support tool and can take many formats and scales. Map products include: planning, reconnaissance, hazard identification, progression, damage inventory, jurisdictional and ownership boundary, transportation, and closure maps, to name a few. A current infrared map, perimeter map, and progression map are available. A KMZ file of the fire perimeter is available for those who have loaded Google Earth.

Location: On Santa Fe National Forest in Sandoval, Los Alamos, and Rio Arriba Counties; Santa Clara Reservation; Bandelier National Monument; Valles Caldera National Preserve; and state and private in-holdings.

Cause: Human

Size: 149,240 acres

Percent Contained: 57%

Total Personnel: 1,208 including 24 crews

Resources: 10 Helicopters; 45 Engines; 30 Water Tenders; 9 Dozers

Residences: 410 threatened; 63 destroyed

Commercial Property: 45 threatened; 0 destroyed

Outbuildings: 110 threatened; 49 destroyed; 2 damaged

Injuries to Date: 8

Safety and Health

The flash flood threat on and near burn scars can be life threatening. Monitor forecasts and prepare to take action or evacuate should flash flood warnings be issued.

• For flash flooding and evacuation information call the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at 505-476-9600, or http://www.nmdhsem.org .
• Rio Arriba County Office of Emergency Management: 505-747-1941
• Los Alamos County Office of Emergency Management: 505-663-3511
• Sandoval County: www.sandovalcounty.com/Contact.aspx
• For information on burned area emergency response on pueblo land call 208-559-1187.

Closures, Restrictions, & Announcements

• Forest Road 266, closed at Tent Rocks.
• Forest Road 268, closed north of Cochiti Lake.
• NM State Highway 290, closed north of Ponderosa subdivision.
• NM State Highway 126 is closed eastbound and westbound from 10.9 miles east of Cuba from mile marker 5 to mile marker 38.
• Santa Fe National Forest – Closures in effect. Call 877-971-3473 for a recorded message with Forest closure information or, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/conditions/index.html.
• US Army Corps