Moreno Valley Fire Department in Northeastern New Mexico

Merry Christmas from your Moreno Valley Fire Department. May you and your family have a joyous and safe holiday!

From our family to yours we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving

Our new Class A Engine is making great progress in production and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the month. We will keep you updated on the progress of MV 3063!

Good Afternoon. Colfax County has lifted the burn restrictions within the County. Have a Great Day!

Here’s the latest for the fire near Peñasco:

- Name: El Valle Fire
- Size: 100 acres
- Location: In the vicinity of El Valle and Las Trampas
- Evacuations: Per Taos County Sheriff's Office: El Valle (Go), Las Trampas (Set), Chamisal and Llano San Juan (Ready).
- Highway Closures: Highway 76 between Truchas and Penasco (at Hwy 75).
- Recreation Closure: Santa Barbara Campground
- Rate of Spread: Moderate to High
- Vegetation Type: Timber
- Cause: Unknown
- Smoke Reported: 12:49 p.m.
- Resources: Multiple ground units on scene with more on order, including aircraft

Forest Service and local fire departments are responding to a fire in the greater Peñasco area. More information, including a more prescise location, will be available once resources are on scene.

(Photo: A smoke column visible from Highway 518 near Comales Campground)

Good Afternoon. The smoke we are seeing is from a fire between Trampas and Penasco. Once we get more information, we will pass it along.

Good Evening. This is a reminder of the current burn ban, which went into effect on August 7th. Please don't hesitate to call Red River Dispatch (911) if you see any smoke. Have a Great Evening!

Here's the latest on the Madison Fire in Taos Canyon:

- Estimated at 3 acres with no containment.
- Lightning was determined to be the cause. Strikes may have occurred during a thunderstorm on Aug. 16.
- Fire behavior is minimal with no growth expected overnight.
- Carson National Forest fire crews were assisted by Rio Fernando Volunteer Fire Dept. today and will be again Monday, along with Taos Pueblo and Angel Fire Fire Dept. One helicopter has been ordered.

The fire is located near the Mondragon Trail ( #660), upslope from the Loma Verde Presbyterian Camp.

Google Map link: https://goo.gl/maps/YpFXMBJwjtGYUB837

A Carson National Forest fire crew is on scene of a new fire start in Taos Canyon. The 1-acre Madison Fire is smoldering near the Mondragon Trail and upslope from the Loma Verde Presbyterian Camp. The cause is under investigation.

There are currently no threats to structures. Air resources may be ordered to assist.

Location (Google Map): https://maps.app.goo.gl/YYoxm4e8RNNoaiLX9?g_st=ic

Good Evening. The smoke we are seeing to our west is from the American Mesa fire and various fires in and around NM. You can read more here.

Tracking Smoke from the American Mesa Fire Smoke drifts behind silhouetted hills, as seen from El Prado, NM, on Aug. 5. With the wildfires come smoke. Strengthening wind is currently pushing smoke from the American Mesa Fire to the east, wh…

Good Afternoon Everyone. MVFD would like to inform you of another important meeting the CWA has scheduled for this friday. The CWA in conjunction with the CCWUI will be in Eagle Nest between 9:30-11:30. They will be discussing the grant they have received and what information they will need from you if you choose to participate. If you have a residence in any of the areas below, we highly encourage you to attend. This grant is a great opportunity for our communities. See you on friday! Have a Great Day! Disclaimer...sorry the photo of the flier...my computer was not working and I did this from my phone.

Issued for today…

Update from the Forest Service on open trails and roads after the fire.

FOREST ROAD 76, BEAR MOUNTAIN AND MORE TO REOPEN

The Carson National Forest will reopen most of the remaining closed areas on the Camino Real Ranger District beginning at 12 a.m. on Saturday, October 8. Crews have completed suppression repair work and wood removal on contingency lines built in the potential path of the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire.

30,351 acres will reopen, including:

- The northern half of Forest Road 76 (La Junta), which is accessed through Angel Fire, NM (this road is now fully opened end to end);
- The South Boundary Trail is now fully open end to end with the additional reopening between Forest Road 76 and the Elliot Barker Trail;
- Forest Roads 438 (Bear Wallow), 438 (east side) and 153 (Upper Pot Creek); and
- Open space on Bear Mountain near Peñasco, NM (its namesake road will stay closed).

Forest Roads 5 (La Jara) and 1877 (Bear Mountain) will remain closed to all entry as they remain staging areas for recently completed work. An announcement will be made when they reopen.

A new Forest Order and map showing closure details is available online.

Approximately 16,000 acres burned during the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire are included in the reopening. Visitors to these areas should be aware of fallen rock and debris, as well as the potential for flash flooding. The risk for flash flooding will also remain along the Rio Pueblo, where a storm causing a flood may be far upstream.

Great collaborative training session yesterday. 3 stations, 3 Engines and 3 Tenders dropping, circulating and recirculating water. Great job, all!

Good morning, wanted to give a BIG AT-A-BOY & GIRL to 3 of our volunteer firefighters! Bill Swihart Robert William, Tim Geise, Neddie Benjamin, spent ALL weekend Fri-Sun, 12-hour days, at the Enchanted Circle Fire Mini Academy in Red River. This is some VERY intensive training that is modeled after exactly what a non-volunteer firemen goes through for initial training. This is a HUGE commitment on their part and should make us all feel safer and proud of them. THANKS AGAIN for you commitment to the Moreno Valley Fire Department!!! Pictures to follow...

STATUS OF CALF CANYON FIRE AS DEER AND ELK HUNTING SEASONS NEAR

The Santa Fe and Carson national forests, along with the Interagency Management Team assigned to the Calf Canyon Fire, are working to find solutions to continually reopen areas of the forests as suppression repair work is completed and weather patterns change over the burn area. A third reduction just took place on the Carson National Forest last week with another one anticipated possibly for this week.

"I want to acknowledge that we are in a difficult and unique time where fire-related closures remain in place as archery hunting season begins for deer and elk on Thursday," said Carson National Forest Supervisor James Duran, who is also the acting forest supervisor on the Santa Fe National Forest.

"Hunting is a very important tradition and activity, and I am continuing to ask staff to reassess all opportunities to reopen more areas as suppression repairs are completed and when flash flooding and debris flow threats have decreased,” Duran continued. “However, due the fire’s severity, some areas will likely remain closed for a longer duration, and some of the damaged infrastructure, such as trails and roads, could prevent full access, even as areas are opened up."

Many areas within Game Management Units 45 and 49 are open. Details and maps can be found online:

- Carson: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/carson/alerts-notices/?aid=73828
- Santa Fe: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/santafe/alerts-notices/?aid=74871

Visitors should stay up to date with each Forest's webpage and social media for announcements of newly reopened areas.

The 341,735-acre Calf Canyon Fire is 100% contained but has not been controlled or declared out. 516 personnel are currently assigned to the incident.

This is the most recent update on the fire that I could find. It is 98% contained. https://nmfireinfo.com/2022/08/19/information-officers-provide-assistance-in-mora/?fbclid=IwAR0KaiRtzIst8WvhZYzkeHOv4viKocExs4irXDZNz_oitkmJWMrzfhyXHvo

Information Officers Provide Assistance in Mora August 19, 2022 – Calf Canyon Fire Update Acres: 341,735| Containment: 98% | Total personnel: 470|Start Date: Hermits Peak: April 6, 2022; Calf Canyon: April 19, 2022 | Cause: Hermits Peak: Spot fi…

Making our way to a lightning strike

Here a couple of shots from the July 4th Parade yesterday! Some of the local kids represented Moreno Valley Fire Dept. Thank you for supporting our Fire Department!

and - July 3, 2022, 7:30 am
Combined Acreage: 341,735
Containment: 93%
Personnel: 727
📸: Unmanned aircraft system operators conducting range assessments on July 2nd, 2022.

Latest acreage, containment, and personnel information can be found at: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/343adfab67fe411ca16f862fd27815c7

FIRE BAN STILL IN EFFECT IN COLFAX COUNTY.

PUBLIC NOTICE FIRE BAN Upon consultation with the Fire Chiefs of Colfax County, and under the authority of Colfax County Ordinance Number 2006-1, the Colfax County Fire Marshal hereby declares effective immediately, a "Dry Season" in ALL County Fire Districts in Colfax County and establishes a ban on open burning within the areas of Colfax County. No Burn permits shall be issued at this time, and any current permits are hereby revoked. No outside smoking is permitted except within a 3-foot diameter barren area. The use of "exterior" fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas or charcoal briquette barbeques (except for gas-propane stoves and barbeques), and all open flames in Colfax County are prohibited. Chainsaws will be permitted provided the manufacturers spark arrestor is in place.

Nick Cardenas -
Colfax County Fire Marshal

and - June 29, 2022, 7:30 am
Combined Acreage: 341,735
Containment: 93%
Personnel: 1,237
📸: Mosaic burn pattern in Mora valley off taken from NM-518 on 06-27

and - June 22, 2022, 7:00 am
Combined Acreage: 341,471
Containment: 72%
Personnel: 1,852
📸: Resources assigned to Initial Attack efforts on the North Zone are prepared to respond to reports of new fire starts like the lightning strikes near Picuris Peak last week. Photo Credit USFS

and - June 21, 2022, 7:00 am
Combined Acreage: 341,471
Containment: 72%
Personnel: 1,913
📸: Fire crews help fill sand bags in Mora. Photo Credit USFS

MIDNIGHT FIRE EVACUATION LIFTED AS OF 06/18/2022 (1000 hrs.)
After discussions with the Southwest Incident Management Team 1 about current fire conditions, containment and the existing evacuation zones, Rio Arriba Sheriff’s Office has lifted all evacuation zones:
Containment of the Midnight fire is currently at 79%.
Our office extents our gratitude to all the personnel and teams involved for all the hard work done to contain the fire.
Unless significant activity occurs, this will be the final written update for the Midnight Fire; continue to watch the Carson National Forest page where updates on the fire will be shared, as necessary.
The Carson National Forest is currently in a Stage 3 fire restrictions forest-wide closure. Fire danger remains extreme with record conditions only expected to worsen over the foreseeable future. The closure will be rescinded after significant moisture has been received and overall conditions improve.

Today's Update: Friday, June 17, 2022

and - June 17, 2022, 7:00 am
Combined Acreage: 340,980
Containment: 72%
Personnel: 2,279
📸: Fire behavior increased on the western edge of the fire in the Pecos Wilderness yesterday. A view of the column from Division L in the North Zone. Photo Credit USFS