Prepare for Wildfire Season

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) visits with the Incident Management Team at the Cerro Pelado Fire in the Jemez Mountains, May 13, 2022.

Dear Friend,

We can all play a part in protecting the places we love from catastrophic wildfires. Right now, we are starting to experience an active wildfire season in New Mexico, with multiple fires burning in different parts of our state. As we confront the fire risks that come with hot and dry weather conditions—and with a large holiday weekend approaching—we need to be especially vigilant to prevent potentially disastrous fires from starting.

Throughout the next weeks and months ahead, it is absolutely critical for all of us to follow these guidelines to prevent human caused wildfires:

• Be aware of fire restrictions around where you live or where you’re visiting;
• Do not use fireworks on our public lands or in forested areas;
• Use caution and common sense before lighting any fire;
• Understand that any fire you create could become a wildfire;
• Never, ever leave any fire unattended;
• Properly extinguish and discard smoking materials;
• Be aware of your surroundings and careful when operating equipment, including off road vehicles, during periods of dry or hot weather; 
• Speak up and step in when you see someone in danger of starting a wildfire;
• Pay attention to local emergency alerts for evacuations and other safety information; and
• Be prepared for any emergency by putting together a disaster kit and family evacuation plan.

I also encourage you to visit the Wildfire Preparedness & Prevention Resource Center on my website for prevention tips, best practices to protect homes and businesses, and an interactive map of active wildfire information from around the state. You can also find timely and accurate information from federal and state agencies in New Mexico on fires, restrictions, and evacuation orders at NMFireInfo.com. 

In recent years, we have learned all too well how fires can impact our communities. I know that we still have a long way to go to do right by the New Mexico families whose lives were upended by our devastating 2022 fire season. As our communities continue to rebuild, I will keep working to deliver for every person impacted by those fires and the floods that followed.

If you were impacted by the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, I encourage you to please call the HPCC Claims Office Helpline at 505-995-7133, Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or to visit any of the three HPCC Claims Offices that are now open in Mora, Las Vegas, and Santa Fe. And if there is any way that I can be of assistance to you or your family, please call my office at (505) 346-6601.

I urge everyone to stay safe this summer and join me in doing our part to prevent disastrous wildfires in our state.

Sincerely,