Decreasing wildfire risk in the Santa Fe fireshed

Background: What is a Fireshed?

A ‘Fireshed’ is a delineation of where fires ignite and are likely  - or not  - to spread to wild areas and communities. The Santa Fe Fireshed comprises 18 focal areas, with Tribal, Federal, State, City, and Private land.

The fireshed can be divided into private and non-private regions. Non-private lands are managed by their respective agencies, which communicate and often coordinate through the GSFFC. However, private landowners are left to manage their lands independently, lacking access to the same resources, personnel, and funding available to agencies. The Fireshed Ambassador program was established to bridge this gap.

The Fireshed Ambassador program offers landowners access to a community of like-minded individuals dedicated to addressing wildfire risks. These landowners understand that fire mitigation is an ongoing task and are prepared to collaborate in managing these critical areas together.

How can we (both private and non-private sectors) reduce wildfire risk in the Santa Fe Fireshed?

The GSFFC is a coalition of public and private organizations. The GSFFC is not a subdivision of the State of New Mexico, as defined in the state’s Open Meetings Act, §§ 10-15-1 to 10-15-4 NMSA 1978. Although federal agencies participate in the GSFFC, the Coalition is not a federal advisory board and was not created by a federal agency, as defined by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5.U.S.C. app. 2, §§ 1 to 16 (2012). The GSFFC operates informally to support its partners, and is not incorporated as a non-profit, 501(C)(3), partnership, or other legal status.