Forest Fire

A fire has been burning in the Manzano mountains, south of Albuquerque, for two weeks. Finally, yesterday the Forest Service announced it was 95% contained.

Today was incredibly windy -- and tomorrow is supposed to be worse (35-45 mph with gusts up to 60 mph). The fire jumped all the containment lines. I could easily see the smoke plume when I went to the supermarket tonight. The air is very hazy because of all the smoke.

Rumors are rampant that the Forest Service is about to close off the wilderness areas of the Sandia mountains (just east of Albuquerque). This often happens around this time of year, when it's been dry. I don't think the Forest Service closes off those areas to save us from the fires -- I'm pretty sure they close off the wilderness so humans won't get in there and start fires (either accidentally or deliberately). Still, as it gets closer to summer, a lightning strike could easily start a fire.

Nonetheless, the Forest Service says the fire danger in the Sandias is merely "Very High," not "Extreme," which is the highest designation. I'm hoping I can get a hike high up into the mountains this weekend, before they shut everything down.