IT’S NOT A MATTER OF IF…BUT WHEN. THAT’S THE ASSESSMENT FROM LT. GOVERNOR JOHN SANCHEZ ON THE FIRE DANGER RIGHT NOW IN NEW MEXICO. SANCHEZ SAYS AN ABNORMALLY DRY WINTER HAS LEFT NEW MEXICO’S MOUNTAINS NEARLY BARREN. HE SAYS THE LACK OF SIGNIFICANT SNOW PACK, COMBINED WITH HIGH WINDS, WARMER TEMPERATURES AND AN ABUNDANCE OF FINE FUELS HAVE INCREASED WILDFIRE CONDITIONS
SO FAR THIS YEAR, 130 WILDFIRES HAVE BURNED 31-THOUSAND ACRES ON STATE AND PRIVATE LAND IN NEW MEXICO. THAT’S ALMOST AS MUCH AS THE TOTAL ACREAGE BURNED FOR ALL OF 2017. 90 PERCENT OF THIS YEAR’S WILDFIRES HAVE BEEN HUMAN CAUSED.
