Wildfire Preparedness is Year-Round:
Don’t Call Mayday! Be Prepared!
Santa Fe, NM – April 29, 2021 - National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on May 1, 2021, is a single day for organizations and individuals to work together to raise awareness about wildfire risks and promote preparedness. This year with extreme drought and critical fire conditions across New Mexico, wildfire preparedness is more important than ever to protect our communities.
The Forest Stewards Guild and the [facnm.org]Fire Adapted New Mexico learning network continue to work with partners at national forests, state and federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations on a year-round wildfire preparedness campaign. Our May message for the 2021 wildfire preparedness campaign: Don't Call Mayday! Be Prepared!
This May, continue working on the Home Ignition Zone by focusing on the extended zone around your property, the perimeter at least 30-100 feet out from your dwelling. The objective in the outer zone is not to eliminate the fire but to interrupt its path and keep flames smaller and on the ground by:
Disposing of heavy accumulations of ground litter/debris
Removing dead plant and tree material
Removing small conifers growing between mature trees
Removing vegetation adjacent to storage sheds or other outbuildings within this area
Making sure trees 30 to 60 feet from the home have at least 12 feet of space between canopy tops and trees 60 to 100 feet from the home have at least 6 feet between the canopy tops.
As you get further away from your house, you may begin to encounter neighboring properties. May is a great time to reach out to these neighbors about working together to reduce wildfire risk in your community. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides a list of projects homeowners can safely implement on their property this May 1 to avoid gatherings or group events during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As fire activity increases in New Mexico, check weather.gov or monitor local weather reports to learn if there is a Red Flag Warning in effect indicating critical fire conditions. The New Mexico Fire Information website nmfireinfo.com is also an excellent resource for details on current fire restrictions and wildfire activity.
The Forest Stewards Guild and Fire Adapted New Mexico learning network are working with the Cibola, Carson and Santa Fe National Forests, New Mexico Forestry Division, and Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Office to build a 2021 wildfire preparedness calendar and share the message across multiple platforms, including social media, webinars and community events. Bookmark the wildfire preparedness webpage to follow the campaign throughout the year.