Hi Fireshed Members,
Although firefighters are continuing to wrap up wildfires from the 2020 season, the majority are contained. At this point, Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams are beginning to assess post-fire conditions with goal of analyzing how wildfires impacted the landscape, determining if there are values at immediate risk, and recommending emergency treatments. This is part of the recovery process from wildfire, and is an important part of being fire adapted.
This week’s Wildfire Wednesday features:
The After the Wildfire New Mexico website for post-fire resources
Some perspectives on The Medio wildfire that burned close to Santa Fe
Best,
Gabe
After the Wildfire
Experiencing a destructive wildfire can be devastating. This guide was written to help New Mexico communities recover after wildfire. It includes information on how to mobilize your community, a list of resources available to communities and individuals for assistance, and a technical guide with information about post-fire treatments to address the catastrophic effects of a wildfire on the land and to prepare for potential flooding. If you are reading this guide before a wildfire occurs, use it to help you plan ahead.
This guide is intended to provide useful information during this difficult time, and to start you on the road to recovery.
To visit After the Wildfire New Mexico, click here.
For more post-fire resources, check our New Mexico Fire Information, click here.
Stories from the Medio Wildfire
The Medio Wildfire, which burned around 5 square miles just north of Santa Fe, has been a visible reminder of the risk that New Mexico communities face from wildfire. Many hope that this wildfire will raise consciousness around wildfire risk and encourage homeowners, agency representatives, firefighters, and others to work together for wildfire preparedness.
There have been many news articles about the Medio fire. We would like to share some articles that have done a good job telling the story of the Medio fire from different perspectives.
An article by Ceder Attanasio, with the Associated Press, puts the story of the Medio wildfire within the context of increasing wildfire nationwide and highlights the importance of community mitigation. To read the Attanasio’s article about the Medio fire, click here.
Another article, “A Closer Look at the Medio Fire,” by Leah Cantor, provides an in depth description of the fire management tactics that were used to fight the Medio fire and the role that fuel reduction treatments, prescribed fire, and community mitigation played in shaping the decision making space of the incident command team. To read “A Closer Look at the Medio Fire,” click here.
Finally, an article by the NM Political Report, describes how indigenous activists from The Three Sisters Collective created a citizen led solution to help people suffering from the effects of wildfire smoke. To read the article about The Three Sisters Collective’s response to the Medio wildfire, click here.
