WASHINGTON - With New Mexico's wildfire season gearing up, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today warned that a federal government shutdown would make it more difficult for the state to prevent and contain fires due of the furlough of thousands of Department of Interior (DOI) and Forest Service workers. To hear more from Udall on how New Mexico could be impacted by a shutdown, click here .
DOI is responsible for the management of federal lands, including National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and Bureau of Land Management public lands like federal campgrounds, visitors centers and concession services. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for the management of federal Forest Service land. In New Mexico, the USDA and DOI oversee six National Forests, as well as 16 other federal areas, including National Monuments, Parks, and Historic Trails. Together, the DOI and USDA manage more than 24 million acres of land in the State.
All National Forests and other federal outdoor and historic areas will be closed to the public in the event of a shutdown, although National Park firefighting services will be available on an emergency basis. Across the country, approximately 52,000 DOI employees - or more than 76 percent of total workers - will be furloughed. For the Forest Service, as many as 23,196 employees - or 81 percent - of workers could be affected.
But Udall noted that, even with such closures, New Mexico's National Forests and other areas will be more vulnerable to wildfires - manmade or natural - because park and forest rangers and other federal officials won't be there to patrol the land and report suspicious activity.
"The rangers and other federal workers on our federal lands are our eyes and ears on the ground when it comes to preventing and containing wildfires," Udall said. "A government shutdown not only will mean that New Mexicans and visitors from across the country won't be able to enjoy many of our special outdoor places. It will also mean that our National Forests will be more vulnerable to wildfire during a season that's expected to be the most active in at least five years. That is unacceptable."
More than 100,000 acres of land have already burned this year in New Mexico, and officials are expecting one of the worst fire seasons in recent years due to a dry winter and spring. Last month, the "Quail Ridge" fire near Silver City burned 1,800 acres of land - destroying 13 homes and dozens of other structures. And further east, the "White Fire" near Ruidoso has burned more than 10,000 acres and destroyed five homes. As of today, that fire was 75 percent contained. And in Socorro County, the "Sevilleta Fire" has burned approximately 2,700 acres and is 90 percent contained.
April is typically a very dry and windy month in New Mexico, and it is expected to be particularly windy this weekend - with wind advisories and red flag warnings already issued by the National Weather Service. A Fire Weather Watch remains in effect for the eastern plains, which forecasters say may evolve into a "significant, high-impact wind/fire weather event."
