Santa Fe Reporter: New Mexico Governor: 20 Fires Burning in 16 Counties

[abqtommy]

https://www.sfreporter.com/news/2022/04/23/nm-gov-20-fires-burning-in-16-counties/

By Julia Goldberg
April 23, 2022 at 6:22 pm MDT

[Nearly half the state is dealing with wildfires as a result of high winds and dry conditions on April 22, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said this afternoon during a news briefing. Specifically, as of 3 pm, the state had 20 fires in 16 counties, she said. “Yesterday’s exceptionally strong winds, dry fuels, and the low, frankly, extremely low humidity around the state resulted in multiple new fires,” she said, “sparking and burning a total of more than 25,760 acres in one day.”

The governor, who briefed the news media in person from the state Department of Homeland Security accompanied by emergency managers and forest officials, described the current conditions as “unprecedented in New Mexico history. It is only April, and yet we are seeing fire spread that we have only ever seen in this state—and in many states, frankly in the Southwest—in late May, and June. So our risk season is incredibly and dangerously early.”

Which means a longer, “more dramatic and quite frankly, more dangerous, significant fire season.”

Many of yesterday’s new fires were immediately extinguished, she said, and temperatures dropped today but “in and of itself, it’s not enough.” Wind speeds on Friday were recorded at 74 mph at the Las Vegas Airport yesterday and exceeded 90 mph atop Kachina Peak in Taos. While winds are expected to decrease tonight and in the coming days, that may not offer enough of a reprieve, the governor said, as the fires themselves create their own atmospheric conditions. “We are grateful for any better weather conditions,” she said, but “we are also cognizant, this is going to be a tough, long week.”]

There's much more text and a photo at the link.

[Bayard]

1. Not good

Still a long way to monsoon season.

[blogslug]

2. The wildfires feel like they're early this year.

This was a drought winter, droughtier than normal. High winds. Little moisture. Wildfires started kicking up over a month ago and they've been going on ever since.