New Mexico Facing Catastrophic Fire Season (video and pictures)

During the winter season, it is important for wildland fire managers to anticipate the conditions of the upcoming fire season. Several metrics are examined to determine fire season severity including anticipated fuel loading and dryness. In addition, long range weather forecasts as well as drought indices and trends are considered. 

Given the current conditions, New Mexico fire managers are facing a grim and potentially extreme situation.  There is a significant carryover of ground fuels from last year’s growing season. The series of photos below were taken at the same Albuquerque foothills location from June through September of 2013, and illustrate the evolution of fuel growth during 2013. The spring growing season was muted,  if not non-existent, during the spring to early summer growing period due to the poor preceding winter snowpack and a lack of spring rain.  The summer Monsoon and historic September precipitation changed conditions and allowed warm season forbs, weeds and grasses to grow with vigor. The Albuquerque foothills scene is representative of a large portion of the non-grazed New Mexico landscape, especially across the lower elevations where most of the population resides.