Archive for May 26, 2013

Public Service Announcement: Sandia and Mountainair Ranger Districts – Stage II Fire Restrictions In Effect

Editor’s note: This is late in coming but worth the time travel.  We urge our readers to be safe and take these restrictions very, very seriously.

Albuquerque, NM. May 13, 2013. The Cibola National Forest and Grasslands’ Sandia and Mountainair Ranger Districts will begin Stage II fire restrictions effective 8:00 a.m. on Monday, May 13, 2013. “Due to ongoing drought conditions and increasing fire danger, these restrictions are necessary to decrease the likelihood of human-caused wildfires and to protect public health and safety,” said Acting Forest Supervisor Joe Norrell. “In addition, the National Weather Service’s outlook has predicted that drought conditions in the region will persist through July,” he added.

Although the districts will be in fire restrictions, there are many activities that can still be enjoyed on the forest, such as picnicking, hiking and camping. All the campgrounds, picnic areas and trails are expected to be open by May 15. However, please use extreme caution when you’re on the forest, as conditions are very dry and wildfires can start from smoldering cigarettes or sparks from engines.

The Cibola works closely with the cities, counties, state, tribal and federal organizations that border the districts to coordinate fire restrictions. “This collaboration helps ensure the public receives consistent information about fire restrictions in their areas,” said Fire Management Officer Bea Day.

Stage II fire restrictions include:

  1. Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove anywhere on the Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts.
    Exceptions: The use of petroleum-fueled stoves, lanterns, propane grills, or heating devices is allowed, provided such devices meet the fire underwriter’s specification for safety and has a turn-off valve.
  2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, at a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
  3. Possessing, discharging or using any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic device.
  4. Discharging a firearm, air rifle or gas gun.
  5. Operating a chainsaw, or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  6. Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device that is properly installed, maintained and in effective working order. They must meet either USDA Forest Service or appropriate Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practice
  7. Welding or operating acetylene or other torch with an open flame.
  8. Possessing or using a motor vehicle off National Forest System roads, except when parking in an area devoid of vegetation within 10 feet of the roadway or overnight parking in Forest Service-developed campgrounds and trailheads.

The following are exempt from Stage II fire orders on public lands managed by the Cibola National Forest and Grasslands:

  1. Persons with a Forest Service permit specifically authorizing the prohibited act or omission.
  2. Any federal, state or local officer or member of an organized firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
  3. Residents, owners and lessees of land, and holders of Forest Service recreation special use authorizations within the restricted area, are exempt from Restriction No. 1 above ONLY, provided such fires are within a permanent structure.

Current fire restrictions for the Cibola National Forest and Grasslands are:

  • Mountainair Ranger District: Will begin Stage II Fire Restrictions on May 13, 2013.
  • Sandia Ranger District:  Will begin Stage II Fire Restrictions on May 13, 2013.
  • Mt. Taylor Ranger District: Will begin Stage I Fire Restrictions on May 10, 2013. The district’s personal woodcutting permit season is delayed.
  • Magdalena Ranger District: No restrictions.
  • Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands: No restrictions.
  • Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands: No restrictions.

The Cibola’s fire restrictions can be found at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/cibola/alerts-notices

For more information, contact:

Sandia Ranger District: 505.281.3304
Karen Takai; e-mail: ktakai@fs.fed.us

Mountainair Ranger District: 505.847.2990
Arlene Perea; e-mail: atperea@fs.fed.us
Adrian Padilla; e-mail: adrianpadilla@fs.fed.us

Ruth Sutton, Public Affairs Officer
Phone: 505.346.3900; e-mail: rsutton@fs.fed.us

Useful fire websites:

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Public Service Announcement: Public Presentation with Brad Lancaster: Rainwater Harvesting

Provided by Christian Meuli

Event: Turning Water Scarcity Into Water Abundance
Date: Friday, June 7
Time: 6 – 8 pm
Place:  George Pearl Hall, UNM School of Architecture and Planning, Central Ave. NE and UNM Cornell Mall, Albuquerque
Sponsors:ErdaGardens and LearningCenter, Kalyx Studio, Querencia Green, and UNM Sustainability Studies Program

Brad Lancaster will present his work on Rainwater Harvesting on Friday, June 7, in George Pearl Hall on the UNM campus at 6 pm, at no cost to the public. The presentation, Turning Water Scarcity Into Water Abundance, will be followed by a book-signing party for Lancaster’s “Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond.” Event sponsors include ErdaGardens and LearningCenter, Kalyx Studio, Querencia Green, and UNM Sustainability Studies Program. Refreshments will be provided by La Montanita Coop during the book-signing session.

Brad Lancaster is a permaculture teacher, designer, consultant, the author of the award-winning books “Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond,” Volumes 1 and 2, and co-founder of Desert Harvesters. Brad harvests an average of 100,000 gallons of rainwater a year from his property near downtown Tucson, Arizona, where rainfall is twelve inches on average annually. Brad and his brother Rodd have created an oasis in the desert by incorporating rainwater into living air conditioners of food-bearing shade trees, abundant gardens, and a thriving landscape that includes habitat for wildlife.

Brad has inspired thousands of citizens and numerous businesses in Tucson and across the nation to harvest water and sustainably grow local resources. Joanne McEntire of Querencia Green, a community organization, observes that “Rainwater harvesting from rooftops is encouraged in Tucson, along with stormwater capture from paved areas. In Albuquerque our annual average precipitation is less than ten inches. As we acknowledge long-term drought and fluctuating rainstorm patterns, we’ve begun to practice water harvesting. As more neighbors capture rainwater to support gardens, trees and wildlife, more benefits would result.”

On Sunday, June 9, Brad Lancaster will lead a hands-on workshop at KalyxStudioLearningCenter in BernalilloCounty’s SouthValley. Participants will learn and practice earthwork techniques used in water harvesting systems. The workshop will focus specifically on earthworks that can be implemented to improve the efficiency of acequia irrigation for the home garden. Workshop organizer Leslie Buerk comments: “Although we will be constructing a system that combines traditional desert gardening practices with water harvesting techniques as applied to acequia irrigation, all of the techniques relate directly to working with rainwater and greywater systems.” Additional information is available by e-mail directed to info@kalyxstudio.com.

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