Bernalillo County to Close East Mountain Open Space Areas Due to High Fire Danger
by Larry Gallegos, Bernalillo County Public Information Department
Bernalillo County- All of Bernalillo County’s East Mountain open space properties will be closed due to the high fire danger in those areas starting Monday, June 10, at 8 a.m.
Carlito Springs, Ojito de San Antonio, Sandia Knolls, Sedillo Ridge and Sabino Canyon Open Space Properties will be closed until further notice.
“The importance of the closure of the county open spaces in the East Mountains is that it reduces the likelihood of a human-caused fire,” says Bernalillo County Fire Marshal Chris Gober. “It also keeps residents from being trapped on the mountain in case a fire does start.”
Because of the countywide drought conditions, the Bernalillo County Fire Department will go before the Board of County Commissioners next Tuesday, June 11, to ask for a resolution to impose restrictions on fireworks outside the city limits in the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County.
Those restrictions would ban the sale and use of missile-type rockets, helicopters, aerial spinners, stick-type rockets and ground audible devices. The restrictions would limit the use of ground and hand-held sparkling and smoke devices to areas that are paved or barren or that have a readily accessible source of water for use by the homeowner or general public. There would also be a ban on the use of all fireworks in the bosque and other wildland areas of unincorporated Bernalillo County.
Residents are reminded that open burning restrictions have been in place countywide since May 14.