NM governor declares state of emergency due to flood potential from wildfires
Gov. Martinez has declared a State of Emergency throughout the State of New Mexico due to the enhanced flood potential caused by severe wildfires.
Wildland fires significantly reduce vegetation and soil absorption of monsoonal rains, especially in terrain that increases the risk of flooding, the governor’s office said in a statement.
“Already this year, we have seen two record-setting fires that have destroyed property and damaged terrain,” Governor Martinez said. “The burn scars left from last year and those from this year make flooding a very real possibility and we must make every effort to mitigate that threat in order to keep New Mexicans safe. This emergency declaration will make it easier for state officials to work with local authorities to employ measures that could reduce flood damage.”
The Whitewater-Baldy Fire in the Gila National Forest continues to burn and is the State’s largest recorded fire at 296,980, as of posting. The Little Bear Fire in Lincoln County has already consumed 39,458 acres and 254 structures—the largest number of structures destroyed by wildfire in New Mexico history.
Wildfires in 2011 consumed more than one million acres within NM, which makes even moderate rainfall in burned areas causing much greater than average runoff, the statement said.
Current Evacuations: All campgrounds west of Bonito Lake; Angus and Bonita Park.
Colorado
The High Park Fire in Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests / Pawnee National Grassland has grown to about 60,000 acres, destroying at least 189 homes, USFS said.
The blaze has an EXTREME growth potential in HIGH terrain difficulty, with strong west winds combined with a very dry air mass resulting in critical fire weather conditions again today, USFS said.
Evacuation Information
Mandatory evacuation and re-evacuation orders have been issued for dozens of locations affecting thousands of residents.
The following information is provided by Inciweb
PRE-evacuation notifications sent to residents along Colorado Highway 14 from the Pingree Park Road at 9:30 a.m. this morning, west to Glen Echo (mile marker 90), and north on CR69 to Goodell Corner. The pre-evacuation notice was issued in response to a new spot fire north of Highway 14 along the northwest fire perimeter.
Mandatory re-evacuation orders were issued on 6/17 for the Soldier Canyon and Mill Canyon areas. This includes Lodgepole Drive and CR 23 west and south including Red Cedar Drive, and east to CR 23.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued on 6/17 for residents in the Hewlett Gulch subdivision area. The area runs from the Glacier View 9-12 filings (already evacuated) east to the Hewlett Gulch Trail, north to CR 74E and south to HWY 14.
Cloudy Pass residents were allowed to return home as of noon 6/15 (no credentials required). Residents in the Poudre Canyon up to Gateway park area (east of Gateway) were also allowed to return on 6/15.
Thursday fire officials issued an evacuation order for the 9th, 10th and 11th filings of Glacier View, to include the area west from Eiger Road to Rams Horn Mountain Road and north from the Mount Blanc Guardian Peak area to the north end of Mount Everest Drive. Fire officials also ordered evacuations of 80 residences along Many Thunders Road and south into the 12th Filing of Glacier View. Roads included in this evacuation include Meadow Mountain Drive, Little Bald Mountain Court, Grey’s Peak Court, Diamond Peak Court, Little Twins Court, Red Mountain Court, Pingree Hill Court, Rabbit Ears Court, Bullrock Court and Black Mountain Court. The road block will be located at Eiger and Many Thunders Mountain Road. An additional roadblock is located at Green Mountain Drive at CR 74E.
CR 74E remains open and a pre-evacuation alert remains in effect for the rest of Glacier View subdivision (including the area north of CR 74E), and the area south of CR 74E between Hewlett Gulch Road to the east and CR 68C to the west and HWY 14 to the south.
Evacuated residents looking to evacuate animals must contact the humane society at 226-3647. Again, do not show up at road blocks to attempt to gain access to care for or evacuate animals.
Evacuation orders remain in place for the following areas:
-Pingree Park Road, Hourglass and Comanche reservoirs, east on Buckhorn Road up to and including Pennock Pass, NE to junction with Stove Prairie and Hwy 14; West to junction with Highway 15 and Pingree Park Road
-County Road 44H (Buckhorn Road) from County Road 27 to Pennock Pass and residents to the south approximately 3/4 – 1 mile.
-Areas south and west of Bellvue to include the Lory State Park area, the Redstone Canyon area and Buckhorn Road up to the Stove Prairie School.
-Poudre Canyon from MM111 to MM118 on Highway 14. This means Poudre Canyon from Stove Prairie to MM118 is under mandatory evacuations.
-The area between CR 27E and Stove Prairie Road and south through the entire Rist Canyon area including Davis Ranch Road, Whale Rock Road.
-South on County Road 44H 3 miles to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road, Paradise Park Road, Moose Horn Lane, Magic Lane and Spencer Mountain Road.
-Old Flowers Road from Stove Prairie Road to the 8000-block of Old Flowers Road.
-Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it.
– Otter Road off of CR 27 (not a new notice; additional listing for clarification).
-Hewlett Gulch, King’s Canyon area and Boyd Gulch Road.
-Satanka Cove
Related Links
Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background
Fire Earth 
