Wildfire Wednesdays #58: Coping with Smoke

Happy Wednesday Fireshed Members!

We hope you are staying cool despite this hotter weather and staying alert to air quality warnings. Given the smoky conditions we’ve been experiencing the past few weeks we wanted to share with you some smoke-specific resources so you can be prepared and healthy this fire season!

This Wildfire Wednesday features:

• Smoke Preparedness Resources (including information on the HEPA loan filter program)

• DIY box fan air filter to improve home air quality

• Upcoming webinar of interest - Prescribed Fire Smoke and Community Health: Successes From Smoke Ready Communities

• An additional resource on fireshed-specific analysis on fuel treatments

Liz

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Smoke Preparedness Resources

There is a lot of information available regarding smoke preparedness. Here we’re sharing some of our favorite resources (some of which you may have visited before) to help you learn about what you need to do in your home so you can be healthy despite the smoke.

• Recommended reading: The Fire Adapted New Mexico Learning Network has compiled relevant resources for learning about smoke preparedness, smoke impacts, and current air quality information. There is also information available on this website about the HEPA filter loan program which provides filters to sensitive individuals during periods of high smoke impact in some areas of Northern New Mexico.

  Click here to read more about Smoke from the Fire Adapted New Mexico Learning Network

• Recommended watch: This 1-hour video featuring Gabe Kohler (FACNM; Forest Stewards Guild) and Alison Lerch (Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network; Coalitions in Collaboratives) is an interview-style webinar addressing questions about smoke and community preparedness.

  Click here to watch this informative webinar

Smoke-filled skies in Albuquerque during the 2019 wildfire season (Photo credit: KRQE)

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Photo Credit: Cody Nelson

DIY Box Fan Filter

It’s those who are the most vulnerable in our communities that suffer disproportionate impacts from wildfires and smoke. During the Medio Fire, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, air filters were widely unavailable. A group of indigenous women (Three Sisters Collective) took it upon themselves to make their own box fan filters for at-risk community members, click here to read more about how this effort worked in their community. These inexpensive ($22-40) filters can reduce harmful materials in the air from wildfire smoke by up to 95% and are a good alternative when HEPA filters are unavailable or too expensive for a household.

Click on these resources below to learn how to build your own box fan filter:

Confederated Tribes of the Coolville Reservation Air Quality Program

Climate Smart Missoula

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Upcoming Webinar:

Join the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network on Wednesday June 23rd at 11am MDT for their upcoming interactive and informational webinar Prescribed Fire Smoke and Community Health: Successes from Smoke Ready Communities as part of their Living with Wildland Fire series. This webinar will feature four communities who are “directly addressing this impact through communication and messaging efforts that help communities, especially sensitive and vulnerable populations, prepare to receive and live through smoke events”

Click here to register for this webinar!

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Relevant Fireshed Resource: Triple Bottom Line Analysis of Fuel Treatments

Photo credit: The Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition

“The U.S. Forest Service engaged Earth Economics to conduct an analysis of the social, environmental, and economic benefits that the fireshed provides for the surrounding community, and to explore the impact of the proposed fuel reduction treatment on these benefits. This study seeks to capture the costs and benefits of the proposed treatments to inform and prioritize fuel reduction decision-making.

This conservative analysis found that the proposed fuel treatments are estimated to generate between $1.44–$1.67 in benefits for every dollar invested in treatment. The majority of these benefits directly accrue to the Santa Fe community, through avoided air quality impacts, recreational losses, damages to structures, and source water impacts. The remaining benefits accrue to public agencies at the state and national level or to the global community (in the case of avoided carbon emissions).”

Click here to read this report

Wildfire Wednesdays #57: Housing & Fire

Hello Fireshed members!

We hope you’re all staying healthy and taking precautions while the air quality remains poor in parts of the state. In the past thirty years, more than 32 million homes have been built within the wildland-urban interface (WUI) in the USA. Whether you are a renter, have owned property for decades, are a new homeowner, or have a vacation home here in New Mexico, we all have responsibilities when it comes to preparing for wildfire season. We wanted to provide some information for different housing scenarios to help clarify what you are responsible for and what resources are available to help you prepare!

This Wildfire Wednesday features:

• Wildfire preparation resources for renters & homeowners

• Advice on how to help your neighbors prepare for wildfire season

• An upcoming webinar of interest

Liz

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Renters

When renting property in the wildland-urban interface it can be difficult to know whether certain responsibilities fall to you or your landlord / property manager. While landlords are responsible for maintaining the area around the property to reduce risk of wildfire damage, there are steps that tenants should also take to be prepared.

Important steps for renters:

• Review your renter’s insurance to see if wildfire damage is included. The landlord’s property insurance does not cover your personal belongings within the building.

  • Take photos of your valuable possessions to support potential insurance claim

• Meet with your landlord to discuss wildfire risk and prevention

  • Walk through the property to discuss concerns

  • Make sure the fire extinguisher and smoke detectors are accessible and up-to-date.

  • Discuss evacuation plans

    • Who is responsible for turning off the gas and pilot lights?

    • What is expected of you as a tenant during an evacuation?

Image source: Avail

Click here for more resources on how to navigate tenant and landlord responsibilities in preparation for and during natural disasters.

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Homeowners & Landowners

This neighborhood which sustained damage from the 2007 Witch Fire shows how one house can be destroyed while the one adjacent remains intact (Photo credit: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)

Over the past 56 blog posts we’ve provided a lot of information to landowners/homeowners about how to prepare your property for wildfire season. Today we wanted to share with you some more specific resources about lesser-known ways to reduce wildfire risk on your property.

Click here to explore the variety of ways you can harden your home to wildfire.

Click here to learn about the combustibility of different types of landscape mulches.

Click here to read the Resources for Private Forest Landowners in New Mexico to learn about technical and financial assistance for landowners for forest health and wildfire risk reduction.

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Working Together

The social component of wildfire risk reduction in our WUI communities is critical. Research has shown that homeowners are more likely to improve their defensible space when they see their neighbors doing the same thing or when they have encouragement from their community. Here is some advice on how to talk to your neighbors about wildfire risk in your community amended from Nevada County’s Fire Safe Council “Talking to Your Neighbors About Defensible Space” Document:

1. Approach your neighbor in a friendly manner with the goal to educate them and open the dialogue about the fire danger in your area and the benefits of making their property more fire safe. Make an earnest expression of your concerns as they relate to your property.

2. Provide them with written information on the high fire danger in your neighborhood and what action steps can be taken to mitigate this danger (Stop by the Forest Stewards Guild office for written information handouts). Let them know the importance of working across property lines to reduce the fire hazard.

3. Give them information on local resources to help with the problem such as:

   • Fire Adapted NM learning network

   • New Mexico Forestry Division

   • National Fire Protection Association

4. Gauge their response. If you sense resistance or hostility don’t push the issue. Leave the information with them and let it go for now. Follow up with them in a week or two and see if they have had a chance to read the material and what their opinion is on it.

5. If you are able and willing, ask if you may assist them with the area you are concerned with. Focus on areas that are within 100’ of a structure or are affecting evacuation routes. If your neighbor agrees to allow you to assist them in resolving the problem, put in writing what the scope of work will be, who assumes the liability and who pays what costs, if any.

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Upcoming Webinar:

Tomorrow, June 10th at 10:00am The Nature Conservancy is hosting a virtual event, Revitalizing Cultural Burning Practices, New Mexico and Beyond moderated by Lindsey Quam, the Deputy Director of Forests/Forestry and Tribal Liason, NM Forestry Division and featuring Margo Robbins from the Indigenous Peoples Burning Network and Rene Romero from the Division of Natural Resources for Taos Pueblo.

“This event will highlight the longstanding relationship between American Indian cultures and fire, challenges related to fire faced by Indigenous communities and ways in which partners and TNC are supporting American Indian communities' efforts to revitalize their traditional cultures in today's context.”

Click here to register for this virtual event.

Wildfire Wednesdays #56: Families & Fire | National Firewood Workshop

Hello Fireshed Members,

Hope you all had a nice holiday weekend! My name is Liz Bailey and I’m a new Southwest Project Coordinator at the Forest Stewards Guild, I’ll be helping Gabe out with some of our FACNM materials. I’m new to Santa Fe and excited to be here and learn more about how fire adapted communities are keeping informed and engaged across New Mexico. I’m particularly passionate about restoration ecology and am drawn to the diverse terrain and invaluable forests here in the Southwest. We’re eager to hear from you if there are topics you would like featured here on Wildfire Wednesdays, please email me at liz@forestguild.org if you have any suggestions or questions!

Preparing for fire season looks different from family to family and there are certain precautions you may want to consider depending on who your family members are. This Wildfire Wednesday features resources targeted towards your family members who might need additional considerations when preparing for wildfire season including:

·       Household pets

·       People with disabilities

·       Elderly

·       Pregnant women & new parents

We hope this information helps you and your family be more prepared for wildfire season! Check out the bottom of this post for information about an upcoming webinar.

Liz

Household Pets

Photo credit: Klaus Vedfelt

Our pets are a part of our family and should be incorporated into our evacuation plans and go-kits! If there is threat of a wildfire, bring your pets inside your home in case an evacuation notice is issued and you need to move quickly. If you can, you should take your pet with you during an evacuation but know that many evacuation centers do not accept pets unless they are registered as service animals. You can use sources like Red Rover or Pet Finder Shelter Center to find temporary shelters to house your animal, or BringFido.com to find pet-friendly rentals.

To make sure your pet has the proper supplies and documentation they need in the case of an emergency or evacuation, check out the Wildfire Preparedness for Household Pets guide. They have great suggestions like including your pet’s medical files on a flash drive to keep in your kit!

Click here to download the pet evacuation kit from the National Fire Protection Association.

People with Disabilities

In the United States, more than 13% of people in our population have some type of disability. Although common, disabilities present themselves in different ways and may affect one’s ability to evacuate during an emergency.

Click here to explore the NFPA Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities that was developed by the Disabilities Access Review and Advisory Committee.

“The NFPA Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities has been developed with input from the disability community to provide general information on this important topic. In addition to providing information on the five general categories of disabilities (mobility impairments, visual impairments, hearing impairments, speech impairments, and cognitive impairments), the Guide outlines the four elements of evacuation information that occupants need: notification, way finding, use of the way, and assistance. Also included is a Personal Emergency Evacuation Planning Checklist that building services managers and people with disabilities can use to design a personalized evacuation plan.”

You can also visit nfpa.org/disabilities for more resources

Elderly

Photo Credit: US Fire Administration

Our elderly population is the most vulnerable demographic to wildfire mortality, those 85 and up over 4 times more likely to die in a fire compared to the rest of the population. If you have an elderly family member you can help them develop a plan and disaster kit in case of an emergency. The American Red Cross has a Disaster Preparedness For Seniors By Seniors that covers the basics in preparing for an emergency, what to do during an emergency, and what to expect after.

Click here to download the Disaster Preparedness For Seniors By Seniors guide.

Pregnant Women & New Parents

Image: Biscotto Design

The threat of wildfire and smoke are concerning for anyone, but especially pregnant woman and parents with babies. Pregnant women should take extra care to minimize smoke inhalation during wildfires. The Center for Disease Control has some great information for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers/infant feeding, new moms and postpartum women in the context of natural disasters and wildfires in particular.

Click here to read the CDC’s Safety Messages For Pregnant, Postpartum, and Breastfeeding Women During Natural Disasters and Severe Weather. (en Español)

Click here to read more about Wildfire Smoke and Pregnancy (en Español)

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Upcoming Webinar: National Firewood Workshop

Photo: A-Plus Tree Services

In addition to these family-based resources we’d also like to highlight an upcoming webinar, National Firewood Workshop hosted by NC State University Wood Products Extension. This online event on June 9th and 10th is a “free two-day workshop held on the Zoom online platform focuses on the business side of the split firewood industry. We invite everyone to come and dig deep into the business issues of operating a profitable firewood business and have the top professionals in the firewood industry discuss the issues of equipment, sourcing wood, insects and quarantines, marketing, sound business management, transportation, brokers buying for large stores, dry kilns, automation and employee issues… This is a great workshop for buyers and sellers of firewood as well as equipment vendors, arborists, foresters and government supporters of forestry.”

To register for this event click here and then select the orange button “Select a Date” to register with your information. There is no cost to attend and you can stay for as much or as little as you’d like!

Wildfire Wednesdays #55: Recreate Responsibly

Hi Fireshed Members,  

We are excited to get outside and enjoy the outdoors this Memorial Day weekend and hope you are too. Although there has been rain recently, New Mexico is still in severe drought and the risk of wildfire remains high. With that in mind, please take precautions and recreate responsibly this weekend to keep families and firefighters safe.  

This Wildfire Wednesdays features:  

• An article on how to safely camp and recreate during fire restrictions. 

• A new mapping tool to check current fire restrictions across the state. 

• Fire prevention messages to share with your friends, family, and neighbors.  

Thanks & enjoy the holiday weekend!

Gabe 

How do I Stay Warm Without a Fire? How to Camp and Recreate Safely During Fire Restrictions 

Photo credit: Sarote Impheng/EyeEm/Getty Images

Having a campfire can feel like an integral part of the camping experience but with fire restrictions in place and increased interest in Leave No Trace ethics, there are times when it is necessary to forgo the fire. There are plenty of ways to stay warm (and even roast marshmallows!) without a campfire plus it can create some unique opportunities, like a better view for stargazing. In this REI blogpost an Outdoor School Instructor shares her tips and tricks for how to make the most of going fire-less.

Click here to read the REI blog post

Know Before You Go: Check Fire Restrictions Using this New Mapping Tool  

Map Credit: Esri, USGS | Esri, HERE, Garmin, FAO, NOAA, USGS, EPA | U.S. Bureau of Land Management - New Mexico State Office

Before you head out on your next adventure it is critical to know whether there are fire restrictions and how your plans may be affected. This interactive tool allows for you to click on your destination, see what fire restrictions are in place in that area, and learn about what the fire restrictions mean. For example, some of New Mexico’s forests are in Stage 1 fire restrictions (shown in yellow on the map) this means that you cannot have a dispersed campfire but you can have a campfire in a designated firepit at your Forest Service campsite when written notice allows.

Click here to explore fire restrictions

Fire Prevention Messages to Share with your Friends, Family, and Neighbors 

You can be an advocate for fire prevention by sharing these messages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email or platform of your choice! We learn best from those we trust so by sharing these messages on social media you make a big difference within our community.

Know before you go

Encourage your friends to check fire restrictions before your next adventure!

CLICK E TO DOWNLOAD "KNOW BEFORE YOU GO" IMAGE

Check your chains

Making sure your chains don’t drag is a simple way you can make sure not to contribute to the human-caused wildfires in New Mexico.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "CHECK YOUR CHAINS" IMAGE

Do your part

Do your part for fire prevention to protect firefighters and forest communities.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "DO YOUR PART" IMAGE

Wildfire Wednesdays #54: All Hands All Lands Pile Burn Squad - Managing Wildfire for Resource Benefits

Hi Fireshed members,

Wildfire season is underway. To find up-to-date information about wildfire incidents, be sure to follow https://nmfireinfo.com/ for new incidents and https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ for longer, sustained incident information.

This Wildfire Wednesdays features:

• A story map about the All Hands All Lands pile burn squad within the Rio Grande Waterfund area

• Information about the Cuervito wildfire and how it is being managed for resource benefit in New Mexico.

Best,

Gabe

All Hands All Lands Pile Burn Squad

In the Rio Grande Water Fund landscape, the All Hands All Lands Pile Burn Squad has been a successful pandemic adaptation of the All Hands All Lands burn team.

A new storymap describes how the squad was set up, and how it worked to keep good fire work on track in the landscape. For more about AHAL, see the Forest Stewards Guild website, or contact Sam Berry (sam@forestguild.org).

Cuervito Wildfire Managed for Resource Benefit

Location of the Cuervito managed wildfire

Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) are taking advantage of a lightning strike that took place on Mother’s Day to achieve pre-determined resource objectives on about 1,500 acres on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District. Managing the Cuervito Fire will achieve significant benefits on the ground, including safer communities and a healthier forest.

Click here to read the whole press release.

This is a great time to learn a bit more about managing wildfire for resource benefit, and how this is an important component of current and future fire management strategies.

A briefing paper, titled “Managing Wildfire fore Resource Benefit: What is it and Is it Beneficial?” by Carrie Berger, Extension associate; Stephen Fitzgerald, silviculture Extension specialist and professor; Daniel Leavell, Extension agent, Klamath Basin Research & Extension Center and assistant professor (practice); shares the following about managing wildfire for resource benefit:

“In 2009, the Federal Wildland Fire Policy was implemented across agencies to ensure a consistent approach to managing wildfire. The policy allows wildfire to be managed for resource benefit on public land in one area of the fire while actively suppressing it in another area where people, homes, infrastructure, or other values at risk (e.g., ecologically important habitats, historically significant cultural sites) are potentially threatened. Local and state jurisdictions, however, are often bound by law to provide full wildfire suppression to protect private land and values at risk.

Managed wildfire requires extensive, advance land management planning that takes into account the risk of damage or loss from wildfire and the increased probability of positive outcomes. Location, available resources, predicted weather, topography, air quality, and predicted fire behavior are all factors that contribute to fire management decisions within the land management planning process.

So, the question remains: Are managed wildfires for resource benefit beneficial? Under certain circumstances, yes. Managed wildfire has the potential to consume built-up fuels and increase the health and resilience of forests. Reducing fuels may also make the landscape less susceptible to a larger and potentially more severe wildfire later. Additionally, managing naturally ignited wildfires allows fire managers to maintain the important role of fire, where fire is a natural and frequent disturbance component of the ecosystem (see the sidebar case examples). The Science Analysis of The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy concludes: “Managing wildfire for resource objectives and ecological purposes is a useful tool for managing fire-adapted ecosystems and achieving fire-resilient landscapes, but has limited potential for broad application throughout the nation because of its inherent risk and statutory constraints.”

To learn more about managing wildfire for resource benefit, click here to read the whole briefing paper.