Director's Note
By Dr. Alan W. Barton
Among the tools available to forest managers to reduce the risk of large, destructive wildfires, prescribed burns stand out as particularly beneficial; however, they come with risks and as a result, they are especially controversial. Prescribed burns fit nicely within an ecological forest management framework, as they tend to be relatively small, low intensity ground fires that mimic natural fires under historic conditions. Yet, prescribed burns can provoke strong feelings. Nearby residents don’t like an intentional ignition that creates smoky air, although smoke from prescribed burns generally can be managed better than a plume from a natural wildfire ignition. Moreover, prescribed burns, on rare occasions, escape and can grow into large, threatening, and destructive fires. When this happens, tragedy and hardship ensue, reverberating through communities and states. The damage takes years to repair and restore.
The destructive Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon Fire that burned in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains outside Las Vegas, NM in 2022 started with two prescribed burns that escaped control. During this fire and in its aftermath, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) faced heavy criticism from many sides, and responded with a report that analyzed its policies and practices using prescribed burns. The report acknowledged the USFS’s failures, provoking further criticism. Nevertheless, in an era in which blaming someone else is the go-to strategy for many policy failures, this honest, reflective report stands out as an example of responsible, public-interest focused governance. As USFS Chief Randy Moore said in the foreword, “Fires are outpacing our models and … we need to better understand how megadrought and climate change are affecting our actions on the ground.” In light of these challenges and the magnitude of the overgrown forest issue that prescribed burns address, the report recommended several significant changes that the agency adopted. Yet, the report also emphasized that prescribed burns are an integral component of ecological forest management, and cannot be abandoned as an effective tool for restoring healthy forests.
Prescribed burns are sometimes called controlled burns because fire crews take extraordinary steps to ensure they are in control of a prescribed burn. In addition, various laws and agency policies exert controls over the process of planning and executing a prescribed burn. It is not uncommon for a planned burn to be postponed several times before conditions are just right for ignition. These safeguards ensure that the vast majority of prescribed burns (99%) accomplish their goals with minimal disruptions to nearby communities. And these treatments substantially reduce the risk that a natural ignition will grow into a destructive wildfire.
Private landowners also benefit from carrying out prescribed burns on their forested property. In 2021, New Mexico lawmakers passed the Prescribed Burning Act, creating a comprehensive program that addresses burn safety, liability, and permitting. Under the Act, New Mexico State University offers training and the New Mexico Forestry Division issues certification to ensure landowners or operators can conduct safe prescribed burns. Trained and certified landowners then are only liable for actual damages if their burn escapes, rather than double damages that uncertified landowners must pay. The Act also declares that prescribed burns are in the public interest and not a private nuisance, removing another source of potential lawsuits. Finally, the Act creates a model permit and guidelines that local governments can use to authorize prescribed burns on private land, when conditions are safe.
While prescribed burns can be carried out any time of the year, the best time for safe prescribed burns in New Mexico generally starts in the fall and continues until early spring. Carson National Forest and Santa Fe National Forest have carried out several prescribed burns already and more are planned, though none in the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District where the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon fires began.
Agencies plan these burns carefully, a process that takes months and continues right up until a prescribed burn is ignited, as the event may have to be postponed if conditions are not just right. Keeping the public informed is an important component of a successful prescribed burn. You can use the resources listed below for up-to-date information on prescribed burns and general information on the value of these forest management tools.
Resources
Southwest Wildland and Prescribed Fire Map (Southwest Coordination Center)
New Mexico Fire Viewer (NMFWRI)
New Mexico Prescribed Burning Act (NMSA 1978 § 68-5-1 [2021])
Prescribed Fire Planning & Implementation Standards
New Approaches to Prescribed Fire (Carson National Forest)
Forest Service Plans to Increase Use of Prescribed Fires (GAO)
Gallinas-Las Dispensas Prescribed Fire Declared Wildfire Review