BLM to commence San Pedro thinning project
Organization
BLM Office:
Media Contact:
TAOS, N.M. – The Bureau of Land Management will begin hazardous fuels thinning in the San Pedro, New Mexico area. Thinning operations will begin around Oct. 17, 2018, and carry on until Nov. 30, 2108. The thinning project is expected to take 2-6 weeks; however, the exact timing is subject to weather and ground conditions. The San Pedro fuels reduction project is located on BLM lands on the south side of NM Highway 344, approximately one mile east of the intersection of NM Highway 14 and NM Highway 344. Thinning and piling will be conducted on Township 12N Range 07E portions of Sections 28, 29 and 30. To ensure crew safety during the fuels reduction project, this area will be closed to shooting from Oct. 17, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2018.
The work being conducted is a continuation of efforts which include mine closures, thinning and piling and elimination of slash using prescribed fire. Crews working on the mine closures will have equipment on site, and thinning will be done by hand crews. The thinning will target heavy dense forest fuels that have accumulated, reducing the immediate threat of wildland fire.
Slash piles from thinning operations will be burned by BLM fire crews in the subsequent 12-24 months during times of cooler temperatures and higher moisture. When work crews are onsite, target shooters will be unable to use the areas where crews will be working.
For more information, please contact Taos Fire Management Specialist Kyle Sahd at 575-751-4767 or the Taos Field Office at 575-758-8851.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.