Wildland Fire and Smoke Information Sources

Silver City, NM. April 9, 2021

The Gila National Forest wants to help you become aware of the many sources of finding out where there are wildland fires and how to tell where smoke may be coming from.  Living in the southwest means “when” there are wildland fires, not “if” there are wildland fires. Being informed helps us prepare for these events and being prepared is always a good idea!

These links are some of the places where the Gila National Forest and our partners at other forests, state and federal agencies, and non-governmental agencies can enter fire information for the public to look at.

• Weather information/Red Flag Warnings
  • National Weather Service or your local news weather report
  • Windy.com – an excellent source for tracking wind direction 
• Fire Restrictions
  • In Arizona, the fire restriction information web tool can be found by visiting: wildlandfire.az.gov
  • In New Mexico, the fire restriction information web tool can be found by visiting: NMFireInfo.com
• Wildfire Information – Inciweb is an excellent source of information including maps, photos, news releases.
• Protect Your Health During Fires and on Smoky Days – NM Environmental Public Health Tracking

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

More…

Smoke gets in your eyes

by Lif Strand 07/11/21

Disclaimer:  I’m not an eye doctor or in the eye business.  But I can research and so I’m sharing the info I’ve gleaned from various websites about how to deal with smoke that irritates eyes.  This is an important topic for me, given that right now, while I’m writing this, my eyes are burning and I bet I’m not the only one.  Today most of North America is blanketed with smoke from the wildfires in the West.

I think we all know by now that lungs can be damaged from the small particles in smoke.  Fortunately most people’s eyes won’t be permanently damaged by those particles (measured in microns, too small to see) but they can be irritated pretty seriously.  What you experience is burning, redness, and tears.  What you will no doubt want is for it to stop.

So my first piece of advice for you is to not get smoke in your eyes.  There’s a reason firefighters wear goggles, you know.  You can wear them, too, if you have to be out in smoke. 

But okay, if goggles are out, then stay indoors in air conditioning. Remember, air conditioners do more than cool the air, they filter it, too.  Or use a HEPA air purifier.  Make sure those filters are clean!  

But okay, if goggles and air conditioning aren’t possible, or if it’s too late and your eyes are already irritated, try the following to help soothe them:

• Artificial tears, a.k.a. eye drops.  Flush those smoke particles out of your eyes — that’s what your natural tears are supposed to be doing but they might not be enough.  The extra moisture of eye drops will help.
• Shut your eyes.  If they aren’t open, smoke can’t irritate them.  Please don’t do this while you’re operating heavy equipment. 
• Coolth.  Keep the eye drops in your fridge, or keep cold compresses there for when you can lay down. The cool will really feel great.
• Pray (or dance, or do whatever rituals might help).  The West needs rain to put out those fires and to green things up so the forests will be more wildfire resistant.

Fire Managers encourage Homeowners & Landowners to create a Defensible Space

02/20/19

Fire season may seem far off while there are still patches of snow dotting the landscape around, but vegetation will quickly dry out in spring’s warm temperatures, rapidly increasing the potential for wildfires.  This is concerning to fire managers at New Mexico State Forestry, Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands and forests across New Mexico.

“Many communities around the state where homes are directly adjacent to forested or natural areas are vulnerable to wildfire.  Property owners can take some simple steps to protect their homes and businesses from this risk.” said Steve Hattenbach, Forest Supervisor.

“Taking the initiative to be well prepared for a wildfire will not only ensure the survivability of your home and property, but also the safety of your family, neighbors, and firefighters,” said Donald Griego, State Forester.  “Programs such as Firewise USA^TM ; Ready, Set, Go; and Living with Fire are excellent resources that can help New Mexicans understand the risk of wildfire and how to protect themselves.”

This is the perfect time of year to begin creating a defensible space.  This means creating a buffer zone or fire break around the home that is free of grass, shrubs, trees, and other flammable materials such as wood piles.  Starving an approaching wildfire of fuel will help decrease the fire’s intensity and improve the probability of a home surviving the burn.

Here are a few suggestions for creating a defensible space:

• Remove dead or dying branches from trees and shrubs around the home.
• Remove leaves and needles from the roof and gutters.
• Trim tree branches that are hanging over the roof or chimney.
• Place wood piles and other combustible materials at least 30 feet from the home.
• Clear vegetation from around propane tanks.
• Mow your lawn on a regular basis.
• Consider planting fire-resistant vegetation around the home.

For more information, please visit https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Wildfire/Firewise-USA; http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SFD/; orhttps://www.fs.usda.gov/cibola