The “Section 16/Units 1,2 and Cedar Creek” (along Cedar Creek Road) prescribed burn planned for Saturday, February 1st, HAS BEEN CANCELLED. Weather patterns over the last couple of days have included moderate to high winds throughout southern and eastern New Mexico, including the Ruidoso area. The pre-determined prescription parameters for this project allow for “up to 6 mph winds.” The current and predicted conditions will exceed that range and are not favorable for Saturday’s ignitions.
“This is not untypical and it does happen. The prescription outlines, in detail, all conditions that must be met in order to proceed with the burn. If conditions are not right, we won’t burn,” said Dan Ray, Fuels Specialist on the Smokey Bear Ranger District. Saturday’s hands-on project included the Forest Service and cooperators from the Ruidoso area. The weekend was a perfect time to bring firefighters from local, state and federal agencies together to work on the project, but it is now postponed until everything “lines up.”
The cancellation or postponement of ignitions reinforce the key elements and decision making factors that help showcase a successful prescribed fire program. The success lies in making the call to “burn” or “not burn” when the day arrives. The Smokey Bear Ranger District personnel extend their gratitude to their partners, community and the public for continually supporting their efforts. “Everyone demonstrates flexibility and an extraordinary desire to move towards accomplishing a common goal to make our community a safer place. We would not be successful without this support,” added Dan Ray.
For more information about prescribed fire projects on the Smokey Bear Ranger District, please call the District Office at 575-257-4095, Mondaythrough Friday, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. You can also find us atwww.fs.usda.gov/lincoln and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LincolnUSForest
This updated information is posted on http://nmfireinfo.com/