THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL YEAR, SO FAR, FOR WILDFIRES IN NEW MEXICO. THE FIRE DANGER IN THE SANDIAS IS RATED MODERATE AT WORST, DUE TO THE RAIN WE’VE BEEN GETTING. MATT RAU, THE FIRE MANAGEMENT OFFICER FOR THE SANDIA RANGER DISTRICT, SAYS QUITE OFTEN FORESTS ARE SHUT DOWN IN JUNE DUE TO DRY CONDITIONS. HE SAYS IT’S BECAUSE JUNE IS FIRE SEASON, WHEN NEW MEXICO AND THE REST OF THE SOUTHWEST HISTORICALLY SEE WILDFIRES.
BUT WHILE THE FIRE DANGER IS NOW RELATIVELY LOW, RAU SAYS WE COULD SEE A LATE FIRE SEASON, INTO OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, DUE TO ALL THE GRASS GROWTH IN THE FOREST.
