BLM to conduct three prescribed burns in Catron County
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SOCORRO, N.M. – The Bureau of Land Management is planning to burn piles of juniper and piñon cuttings in three locations in Catron County from Nov. 15, 2017 - April 1, 2018, weather permitting.
The Pietown pile burn will be 20 acres in size, and will be conducted one mile west of Pietown and immediately north of Highway 60. The Datil pile burn will be 30 acres in size, and will be located in the Datil Well Recreation Area about ¾-miles west of the junction of Highway 60 and Highway 12. The Tank Canyon Pile Burn will be 150 acres in size, and will be located 20 miles north of Pietown off CR-41, east on the Wild Horse Road and approximately 3 miles southwest of CR-A079, adjacent to the Wild Horse subdivision.
Objectives for burning the piles, created as part of previous thinning projects, include reducing wildfire risk, improving ecosystem health, enhancing wildlife habitat and helping to protect local communities from wildfire.
Active ignition will take 1-5 days, with some smoke visible in the burn areas for up to a week after ignition operations are completed. Firefighters will monitor the burns until there is no visible smoke. Motorists should be aware that smoke from this burn could create brief periods of reduced visibility on Highways 60 and 12. In addition, firefighters will be working adjacent to Highway 60, so motorists are urged to use caution when driving through the areas. To alert motorists on burn days, prescribed fire signs will be posted on Highway 60, Highway 12 and county roads near the burn locations.
Follow implementation of these projects on NMFireInfo.com, on Twitter @nmfireinfo, or on at Facebook.com/nmfireinfo. Questions about these projects should be directed to the Socorro Field Office at (575) 835-0412.
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.