Wind Red Flag Warning

A wind red flag warning has been issued in areas of New Mexico starting at 10:00 AM, including the Gallup/Jamestown area, by the National Weather Service:

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Albuquerque NM

215 AM MDT Sun May 17 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM MDT TODAY

DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR PARTS OF WESTERN,

MUCH OF CENTRAL, AND ALL EASTERN NEW MEXICO...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH

MONDAY EVENING DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR

SOUTHWESTERN, MUCH OF CENTRAL, AND ALL OF EASTERN NEW MEXICO...

.Extremely poor humidity recovery observed this morning with many

areas only reaching 15 to 25 percent come dawn. More widespread and

stronger southwesterly winds alongside another round of 6 to 18

hours of single-digit humidity will yield critical to extremely

critical fire weather conditions for most of west-central, central,

and all of eastern New Mexico Sunday. Another round of critical fire

weather conditions is expected across southwest, central and eastern

New Mexico Monday with even stronger wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph

across eastern New Mexico. Around 6 to 10 hours of single digit

humidity values are expected across east central and southeast New

Mexico on Monday.

NMZ105-172200-

/O.CON.KABQ.FW.W.0037.260517T1600Z-260518T0300Z/

West Central Mountains-

215 AM MDT Sun May 17 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9

PM MDT THIS EVENING...

* AFFECTED AREA...West Central Mountains (Zone 105).

* TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to 9 PM MDT this evening.

* 20 FOOT WINDS...Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40

  mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Relative Humidity between 6 to 12 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor

  burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field

of this Red Flag Warning.

 

Clearing The Backyard

Above, the backyard directly behind the house. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I finished a little task that was prompted by the notification by my homeowners insurance company that an inspection of my property was imminent.

Word has gotten around in the community that the county has elevated wildfire alerts. We had a meeting on this last summer.

My main concern was the brush that filled the backyard. I was looking into getting a brush hauler to come and clear it. But I then got the idea that I could do it myself with my zero-turn lawnmower.

So, on Sunday I started with the yard directly behind the house. Then, yesterday, I did the section of the yard behind the garage. The is an area that is steeply sloped that couldn't accommodate the mower. But, I least cleared about 30 feet from the garage.

The main concern in the area is for possible wildfires. It should be okay now that the brush was cut down along with the buffer of the utility access road behind my property and that the second acre (Barking Spider Acre) has been cleared for several years.  

Knock on wood!

First Smokey Bear Poster On August 9, 1944

Above, the first Smokey Bear poster.

This is a "little" before my time, but it was on August 9, 1944 the first Smokey Bear poster appeared.

According to RV Travel:

On this day in history: 1944 – The United States Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council release posters featuring Smokey Bear for the first time.

FireAid Hires Law Firm To Review Dispersal of Funds From Benefit Concert

Above, the famous Moonshadows restaurant before and after the fire.

It looks like those behind the FireAid benefit concert that raised over $100 million, purportedly to help those who were affected by the wildfires in January in Los Angles County, has hired a law firm to review the disbursements made. Many noted that organizations having nothing to do with the fires are getting the funds.

They have taken much criticism over the past few weeks by victims of the fires. They are also angry at the foot-dragging by Los Angeles and California officials over rebuilding permits. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom had promised expedited permitting, but have failed to do so.

Variety posted an article on FireAid and it begins with:

FireAid has hired a law firm, Latham & Watkins, to review the dispersal of roughly $100 million in funds that were raised in conjunction with a massive benefit concert earlier this year, the charitable organization announced Monday. FireAid released a letter it sent to Rep. Kevin Kiley of California about the internal review, shortly after the congressman posted it on his X account.

Some congresspeople and journalists have hit the organization with questions in recent weeks about how the money was given out, with stories picking up particular traction among conservative-leaning news outlets. FireAid has every reason to take the skepticism seriously, as Kiley and others have brought their issues or questions to the attention of President Trump, who on Friday posted a message that began, “‘FireAid’ is a total disaster. Looks like another Democrat inspired scam.”

To read more, go here.

From Fox 11 News:

Cibola National Forest Closure To Be Lifted Today

Above, the Jeep in Six Mile Canyon three years ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some fire closures and restrictions are to be lifted this morning in the Cibola and other national forests in New Mexico thanks to monsoon rains.

Some in our community, which is up against the Cibola National Forest of the Mount Taylor Ranger District aren't too thrilled over this. 

According to the New Mexico Fire Information website:

Albuquerque, NM – June 23, 2022 – Monsoonal activity has increased bringing widespread precipitation across most of the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF & NGs). The fire danger level has decreased substantially within New Mexico. The Cibola NF & NGs will lift closures and fire restrictions on Friday, June 24th at 8:00 a.m. as noted below.

Forest managers consider several factors before lifting fire restrictions, including current fire danger and fire activity, current and predicted weather, fuel moisture levels, availability of firefighting resources, and local, regional and national fire preparedness levels.

Magdalena Ranger District: Lifts Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on Friday June 24th.  Previously announced Bear Trap Fire Area, Road and Trail Closure Order (03-0728) still in effect.

Mountainair Ranger District: Forest reopens on Friday June 24th.

Mt. Taylor Ranger District: Forest reopens on Friday June 24th.

Sandia Ranger District: Forest reopens on Friday June 24th.

Kiowa/Rita-Blanca Ranger District: Lifts Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on Friday June 24th.

Black Kettle Ranger District: Lifts Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on Friday June 24th

 It looks like I'll be able to drive the Jeep into Cibola National Forest's Six Mile Canyon.

To read more, go here.

Fire Restrictions At Six Mile Canyon

Above, the fire restriction sign at the entrance to Six Mile Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With one of the worst wildfires in New Mexico's history raging now, naturally the concern around Jamestown, New Mexico is that campers in Cibola National Forest/Six Mile Canyon, which abuts the community, might start a wildfire there.

Yesterday, I took a ride on the mini bike to the entrance to Six Mile Canyon and noticed a fire restriction sign.

It indicates that campfires, open barbecues are not allowed, but camp stoves are allowed.

If campers comply with this, then (hopefully) we will survive this fire season unscathed.

 

New Mexico Fire Season "Dangerously Early"

Above, a Southwest fire scar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The winds last Friday have to be the worst I have experienced since I moved to New Mexico four years ago. They have fanned the flames of wildfires in some New Mexico counties. Some are still burning and barely contained. 

This looks to be possibly the worst fire season in decades in the Four Corners region.

According to WESA-FM:

New Mexico faces a long and potentially devastating wildfire season, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Saturday, as Southwestern wildfires cause destruction and force people from their homes.

Hundreds of structures were lost in a growing number of wind-driven blazes across drought-stricken New Mexico, Lujan Grisham said Saturday.

Over 20 active wildfires were burning in at least 16 of the state's 33 counties, in the wake of winds that gusted up to 90 mph (145 kph) on Friday, Lujan said during a briefing streamed online. "So half the state has a fire issue."

With so many fires burning in April, well before the normal May or June start of the wildfire season, "our risk season is incredibly and dangerously early," Lujan Grisham said.

To read more, go here. 

Extreme Fire Conditions and Strong Winds In New Mexico

Above, Six Mile Canyon of the Cibola National Forest is a tinderbox. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Much of New Mexico is under extreme fire conditions due to dry conditions and strong winds.

Residents in Jamestown are voicing concern over these conditions as our community is adjacent to the Cibola National Forest.

One posted on Facebook:

Jamestown is crazy if we don’t think that we are not vulnerable to a wildfire. Just one spark…

Please no trash burning. No weed burning. The news this morning even stated that wildfires can be sparked by shooting at a firing range. 

 According to KOAT:

Much of New Mexico will be dealing with strong winds and extreme fire danger, triggering a weather alert day for Friday.

Much of New Mexico could see the strongest winds of the season throughout much of the state.

New Mexico is experiencing a megadrought, one of the worst droughts in 1,200 years. Dry vegetation, above-normal temperatures, and the strong winds forecast will create extreme fire concerns on Friday.

Residents are recommended to stay inside when those winds begin.

 To read more, go here.

Skyrocketing Campground Insurance Threatens Future Costs of Camping

Above, The Beast at Diamond Lake RV Park in Oregon near Crater Lake National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With thousands of new RVers hitting the road in their new RVs, the pressure on finding campsites increases.

Even before the pandemic, the numbers of new campgrounds had been lagging. But in today's world, if a campground cannot get reasonably-priced insurance, then they can't open or stay open.

Such is the topic of a new article in RV Travel.

Here's a snippet:

Insurance is a “must-have” – if you can find it

You can’t run a campground business without good insurance. When a park is crammed with hundreds or even thousands of daily visitors there are going to be problems. People slip and fall, and amenities such as swimming pools and Jumping Pillows raise risk ratios. Yet it’s the ever-present risk of wildfires that is really sending campground insurance costs into the stratosphere.

Two Oregon campgrounds recently destroyed by wildfires resulted in insurance claims of $1.8 million and $800,000, respectively. One insurance industry executive told me that those amounts together were more than all the annual campground insurance premiums collected in the entire state of Oregon. From the perspective of the insurance companies, those sorts of payouts are a recipe for going out of business.

In fact, that’s exactly what’s happening. A few insurance companies have folded in recent months, and a few more are deciding that insuring campgrounds in high-risk wildfire areas ironically isn’t worth the risk. Some are pulling out of campground insurance markets entirely in some Western states.

To read more, go here. 

Yosemite National Park Reopening Tomorrow

Above, a view of Half Dome from Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's some good news coming from California (for once).

Yosemite National Park will reopen tomorrow after being closed due to smoke from wildfires.

Travel + Leisure reported:

Although many West Coast residents still face the threat of evacuation and poor air quality due to recent wildfires, a slow return to normalcy has begun as Yosemite National Park reopens to visitors tomorrow, Sept. 25. This reopening comes just in time for Saturday’s National Public Lands Day, during which all national parks offer free entry.

Starting Friday at 9 a.m., guests can begin entering Yosemite National Park, though only some visitor services will be available, while others will open incrementally over the weekend. Campsites will also become available starting tomorrow, and the park will still require day-use reservations in order to visit.

Yosemite, the fifth most-visited national park in 2019, closed on Sept. 17 due to smoke impacts and hazardous air quality throughout the park.

To read more, go here.