Las Conchas Fire

Las Conchas Fire
Location New Mexico
Date June 26, 2011
1:00 pm (MDT)
Burned area 156,293 acres,[1] 244 sq mi (630 km2)
Ignition source Power line[2]
Buildings destroyed 63 residences, 49 outbuildings[3]
Fatalities 0
Injuries 15[1]

The Las Conchas Fire was a 2011 wildfire in New Mexico, USA. The fire started in Santa Fe National Forest and burned more than 150,000 acres, threatening Los Alamos National Laboratory and the town of Los Alamos. After five days of burning, it became the largest wildfire in New Mexico state history.[4]

Contents

Progression

The fire started on June 26, 2011, at approximately 1:00 pm Mountain Daylight Time[3] when a tree fell on a power line[2]. On the first day, the fire burned 43,000 acres, driven by strong and unpredictable winds.[5][6][7] By the evening of the first day of the fire, no part was contained, according to local fire officials, and the county was put under voluntary evacuation.[8] The fire burned over 61,000 acres by the end of the day on June 27[5], pushed north by winds into the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area. The fire also burned south, threatening the town of Cochiti, New Mexico.[9] On June 28, this estimate was increased to nearly 61,000 acres.[10] On June 29, it was reported that the fire was 3 percent contained, 12 miles southwest of Los Alamos, and had burned nearly 70,000 acres (109 sq mi).[11] By then the fire had pushed farther north into the land owned and held sacred by Santa Clara Pueblo. By June 30, the burned area had increased to over 103,000 acres (161 sq mi), making it the largest fire in New Mexico history (the second largest is the 2003 Dry Lakes Fire, which burned over 94,000 acres).[4] Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for Los Alamos as of June 27,[12] and Los Alamos National Laboratory was closed to all non-essential personnel.[13][14] The evacuation order was lifted on July 3, at which time Los Alamos residents were allowed to return to their homes.[15] The Los Alamos National Laboratory re-opened on July 6.[16] As of July 14, 2011, the fire was 57% contained.[3]

16,000 acres of Santa Clara Pueblo burned in the fire, much of it in the pueblo's watershed. 45% of the watershed was burned, leading to fears of flooding. The pueblo is currently preparing for floods. [17] Currently, much of the burned area is still at risk for potentially dangerous flash floods.[1]

On June 27, the fire reached Los Alamos National Laboratory. Only a one acre spot fire burned on lab property before firefighters extinguished it. That was the only time the fire burned on lab property. Authorities reported that the fire did not threaten essential buildings. The fire was moving away from the plutonium facilities and the lab property.[18][19]

The fire was 100% contained on August 3 and efforts are now underway for recovery of the burned areas.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Las Conchas Wildfire". Incident Information System. http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2385/. Retrieved 14 August 2011. 
  2. ^ a b "Investigators determine cause of Las Conchas Fire". New Mexico Fire Information. 3 July 2011. http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/investigators-determine-cause-of-las-conchas-fire/. Retrieved 5 July 2011. 
  3. ^ a b c "Las Conchas Wildfire". Incident Information System. http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2385/. Retrieved 14 July 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Sharpe, Magdalena; Pabst, Charlie (30 June 2011). "The Las Conchas fire becomes the largest wildfire in state history". KOB. http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2180411.shtml?cat=500. Retrieved 30 June 2011. 
  5. ^ a b "Las Conchas Fire NM-N6S-0000451 Map". Incident Information System. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ftp/InciWeb/NMSNF/2011-06-27-00:17-las-conchas/picts/pict-20110714-062706-0.jpeg. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
  6. ^ "Las Conchas wildfire at 3500+ acres; County under voluntary evacuation; Lab to be closed Monday - photos added". LAMonitor.com. http://www.lamonitor.com/content/las-conchas-wildfire-3500-acres-county-under-voluntary-evacuation-lab-be-closed-monday-photo. Retrieved 2011-06-27. 
  7. ^ "3,500-acre Jemez blaze brings back memories of Cerro Grande". The Santa Fe New Mexican. http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/New-forest-fire-burning-SW-of-Los-Alamos. Retrieved 2011-06-27. 
  8. ^ "Fire Near Los Alamos Swells To 3,500 Acres". KOAT news. http://www.koat.com/r/28362925/detail.html. Retrieved 2011-06-27. 
  9. ^ Sharpe, Magdalena (27 June 2011). "Los Conchas fire spreads to over 43,000 acres". KOB. http://www.KOB.com/article/stories/S2174570.shtml?cat=500. Retrieved 27 June 2011. 
  10. ^ Flores, Danielle; Sharpe, Magdelena (28 June 2011). "Las Conchas blaze grows close to 61,000 acres". KOB. http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2177086.shtml?cat=500. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
  11. ^ The Associated Press (29 June 2011). "Massive Las Conchas blaze is 3% contained". KOB. http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2177786.shtml?cat=500. Retrieved 29 June 2011. 
  12. ^ "MANDATORY Evacuations for Los Alamos". NM Fire Info. http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/mandatory-evacuations-for-las-alamos/. Retrieved 2011-06-27. 
  13. ^ "Wildfire triggers evacuation for Los Alamos lab". Reuters Africa. http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN1E75P09820110627. Retrieved 2011-06-27. 
  14. ^ Mack, Erik. "Wildfire closes Los Alamos National Laboratory". CNET. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20074572-93/wildfire-closes-los-alamos-national-laboratory/. Retrieved 2011-06-27. 
  15. ^ http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ilQyGtcIidD9kimq_nP16vGMYh9w?docId=b7a4a72972344896a05c38581464a3e0
  16. ^ http://www.lanl.gov/news/releases/fire_updates.html
  17. ^ "Pueblo Needs Help, Prepares for Rain". KRQE. 2011-07-09. http://www.krqe.com/dpp/weather/wildfires/pueblo-needs-help,-prepares-for-rain. Retrieved 2011-07-09. 
  18. ^ "Las Conchas wildfire at 43,000+ acres; Los Alamos under mandatory evacuation -- photos added". Los Alamos Monitor. June 27, 2011. http://www.lamonitor.com/content/las-conchas-wildfire-43000-acres-los-alamos-under-mandatory-evacuation-photos-added. Retrieved June 27, 2011. 
  19. ^ Rushe, Dominic (June 28, 2011). "Wildfire reaches Los Alamos nuclear facility". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/28/fire-los-alamos-nuclear-facility-new-mexico. Retrieved June 27, 2011. 

External links