Prescribed Burning Planned at Aztec Ruins

Date: February 27, 2015
Contact: Larry Turk, 505-334-6174 x222

Aztec, NM —The National Park Service plans to burn several piles of woody debris at Aztec Ruins National Monument on March 2 and 3. The piles will only be burned if and when environmental conditions are favorable and adequate fire management resources are available.

The slash piles consist of Russian olive and tamarisk thinned from the riparianarea along the Animas River. Removing these species is part of the park's invasive and exotic species management program and will ultimately allow the restoration of the riparian area with native species. This prescribed burn will also reduce wildfire fuels that could threaten private property and park natural, historical, and cultural resources. 

The burn will take place on the north side of the Animas River within monument boundaries. City residents and park visitors may see and smell smoke during the burn. Firefighters hope to take advantage of the wet weather over the weekend to minimize the amount of smoke in the air.

The piles will be ignited by firefighters from the Four Corners Fire Management Group and monitored until they are completely out. The project is anticipated to be completed in one day.

For information about Aztec Ruins National Monument Natural Resource Management Program, visit the park's website, www.nps.gov/azru, or follow Aztec Ruins on Facebook, www.facebook.com/AztecRuinsNM.

For more information on the National Park Service Wildland Fire Management Program, visit www.nps.gov/fire.

To learn how you can reduce wildfire risk on your own property, please visit www.firewise.org.