Only 20% of the record breaking NM fire are "high intensity burns" because of a let burn policy

[Quixote1818]

Snip>Starting in the early 1970s, the Gila has been leading the way when it comes to implementing such an active fire management strategy. Instead of immediately dousing flames in the wilderness, forest managers have let them burn as long as conditions are favorable.

The question that the Whitewater-Baldy fire is expected to answer is whether that strategy will pay off with more natural, less intense fires.


Snip> While a burn severity map has yet to be released, members of the incident management team are estimating that only 20 percent of the fire has burned at high intensity.


More>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/03/whitewater-baldy-fire-new-mexico_n_1565685.html#s=1037116