Thursday, July 19, 2018

New Mexico Forest Fires

The southern Rockies were very dry in June this summer. Several large forest fires in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado have been serious threats to life and livelihood as the dry brush quickly ignites.


On Tuesday a lighting strike sparked this wildfire that erupted west of Black Lake. A day later it was extinguished by the fire crews. However the smoldering smoke lingered over the area for several days. Thursday the wind  shifted and sent smoke up the Moreno valley causing everyone to stay inside or suffer.

Most people think rain and lightning go together. However lighting frequently happens in the mountains when there is no rain. With these very dry conditions, a small spark, a cigarette or lighting can cause a disaster. This area need a good drenching rain, but none is in the forecast.

Starting near Ute Park, an early June fire east of Eagle Nest burnt 34,000 acres before it was contained. Came within a mile of the foothills town of Cimarron, causing the complete evacuation of this town of 1350 residents and of Philmont, the national boy scout camp.


Through it all, people fought the fires, rescued livestock, struggled to protect their homes, offer aid and nourishment to the fire crews, finally to survive the threat and resume their daily struggle in this land of dry timber.

A new day dawns in Moreno Valley....



Ride safe my friends, every day is a new adventure.

CCjon





5 comments:

  1. Yep, Colorado has its share of fires....part of the process they say...till one's home is threatened. Fire fighters who answer the call at such times are men and women who this country this more of these days.

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    1. When in NM, thought I would ride the Million Dollar Highway as it is still unchecked on my bucket list. Then saw the reports it was closed to all traffic due to a huge forest fire in that area.

      Dom, a ride to Alaska is in the works for August, my Colombian nephew just rode up thru Central America on a vstrom650. Now he wants to see Prudhoe Bay, so I agreed to ride with him. Trying to clear the desk and schedule to make this happen, IF... we can get him a Canadian Visa. No problem for US citizens, but for other nationalities it is a complicated and time-consuming process.

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    2. I was wondering what happened to the return to Alaska this summer...

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  2. Richard, thanks for asking, we are prepping the bikes this week with plans to be on the road no later than Aug 1. My Colombian nephew did not have a Canadian Visa so have been working on that process for two weeks. He was finally approved and now are waiting for his passport to be returned from Ottawa with the Visa. Then it's adios Texas.

    Richard, hopefully we can meet up in Fairbanks or there about... are setting up a new Inreach device for tracking, messages and SOS service. Will send out a link once its up and working.

    Am taking the BEAST ( my nephew baptized the sidecamper as The BEAST). He has his tent and sleeping bag so we are good to go. Nephew rode down to Ushuaia last year, now wants to tag Alaska/Prudhoe Bay. Still working on shipping my KLR650 rig, his bike and one other to Cartagena, Colombia this Fall. Nephew says he'll ride half-way, as far as Peru with us.

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    1. Looking forward to meeting you again! And The BEAST as well...

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