FOCUS: New forest burns in Sacred Chicoma Mountain, Vales Caldera, Bearhead Peak
The threat to Los Alamos and its nuclear laboratory and weapons center seems to be over. Fire operations there have mostly turned into mop-up efforts, except for flareups in some pocket areas and places where open lines exist on western edges or fingers. But New Mexico is still burning, to the tune of 130,691 acres as of today. Five hundred new personnel are fighting the fire, which is now almost a third contained.
Burning at the north and south frontiers
The fire still rages in the northern part of the disaster area. The winds have picked up and are spreading the fire up the north and east faces of Chicoma Mountain, sacred spiritual center for all the pueblo clans. More than 20,000 acres of Santa Clara pueblo lands have burned. Firefighters are working with Santa Clara to sandbag and provide concrete barriers within the Santa Clara Canyon. A disaster declaration from new Republican Governor Susana Martinez's office could help bring in emergency funding. Joe Baca, a well-known figure in native American socioeconomic development, is coordinating aid for the pueblo, Dasheno said.
Joe Baca--not the California congressman--wins awards by making pots. Strange occupation for a man who speaks for the place hardest hit by the New Mexico wildfire? Born as Tsay Wing, meaning "Standing Spruce," Baca is also a canny local businessman who sports an MBA and has worked on economic development projects on native American reservations for many years. He's best known in business circles for creating an American Indian Development Bank.
Baca also keeps his hands in the clay near his village of Santa Clara Pueblo. A self-taught potter and scion of a family of artists, Joe Baca is one of the best-known and most versatile New Mexico potters of his generation. He has explored a wide variety of designs within traditional hand-coiled, agate-polished technique. Baca owns the Singing Water Gallery at Santa Clara Pueblo.
"I strive to become one with the Spirit of the clay," Baca says. "Together we can make vessels of beauty for others to enjoy.” Joe's study of the works of contemporaries in all the pueblos and his experimental attitude hints at his exceptional ability to broker attitudes and funds for the people of Santa Clara.
The fire is seen as slowly moving toward the ancestral Puye ("POO-yay") cliff dwellings, by oral tradition home to Santa Clarans centuries ago. Largest of the prehistoric Indian settlements on the Pajarito plateau of the Jemez mountains, Puye ruins display a variety of historic architectural forms and building techniques. The fire is about five miles from the Puye national historic landmark.
In Los Alamos, fire crews must keep checking the border lines for "spot" (localized) fires resulting from winds shifting to the southwest. Burnouts and contingency lines have been the order of the day.
Slow and steady progress has characterized work in the Valles Caldera. It's harder in this national preserve because of steep terrain and thick, relatively undisturbed forests where large amounts of biomass can fuel the flames.
The far southwestern part of the wildfire continues backing down Bearhead Peak and toward Peralta Creek. Retardant at the crest of the ridge and aerial ignition of firebreaks just below the ridgeline have reduced the intensity of the fire and its impact on trees and other natural resources. Crews have also been working on strengthening the fire line along the existing fire road there.
Many roads and highways through the Jemez disaster area are still closed. Local officials are stepping up efforts to connect stunned and injured residents to the hotlines foor expert assistance.
Looking ahead
Federal assistance with the effects of the fire may soon be forthcoming. Around 3 p.m. yesterday, the White House initiated a conference call to Santa Clara Pueblo Governor Walter Dasheno to discuss emergency plans in the event of a major flood following the fire. In the past 20 years, fire erosion has caused the normally dry Santa Clara Creek basin to flood heavily. Dasheno sees this incident as far more serious than those in the past because the flames have consumed everything in the canyon.
COMING SOON: What's good about charred forests?
Sandy Dechert, Renewable Energy Examiner, has spent two years in north central New Mexico and has family and friends there. Her late mother, Phoebe Booth Dechert, was instrumental in lobbying for creation of the Valles Caldera National Preserve.
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