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National Fire Plan Success Story

Upper Taylor Prescribed Fire and Mesa Fire
New Mexico
National Fire Plan - Fuels Reduction
2010

Fire behavior.
Fire behavior on the Upper Taylor Prescribed Burn during blacklining on June 08, 2009 at 2000.

A picture of the communication sites before the prescribed burn.
BLM Engine 1441 (Rio Puerco FO) holding the north line on the Upper Taylor Prescribed Burn, June 08, 2009.

BLM Engine 1441.
Anthony Meza (BLM Fuels Crew - Socorro) burning out south line of the Mesa Fire, June 08, 2009

Carlos Madril igniting the prescribed burn.
Carlos Madril (Wildlife Biologist - BLM Socorro) igniting during the Upper Taylor Prescribed Burn, June 15, 2009.

On June 08, 2009, the Socorro Field Office planned to ignite the Upper Taylor prescribed fire. On June 6, 2009, a dry thunderstorm started the Mesa Fire approximately five miles northeast of the planned burn at Upper Taylor. This wildfire ignited in a burn block that was scheduled for burning the following year (2010), so the decision was made to manage the burn within the planned burn block since a burn plan was already in place for that area.

The perimeter of the Mesa Fire was burned out using BLM and New Mexico State Forestry resources, including those that were planned for the Upper Taylor prescribed fire. This operation was completed at 1200 on June 8th.

Blacklining operations were initiated on the Upper Taylor prescribed fire by 1400 and 3.5 miles were completed (about 250 acres) by the end of the shift using two burn teams. A CWN helicopter was scheduled to assist the Upper Taylor prescribed fire, but was later used to ignite unburned islands with PSD on the Mesa Fire after the perimeter was secured since the blacklining was not completed at Upper Taylor. A weather disturbance came through the area overnight and higher RH’s and light sprinkles were reported on June 9th. Based on the weather forecast and radar, the decision was made to stop all burning, put the prescribed fire in patrol status, and send most of the resources home since the burn was out of prescription.

One week later on June 15, 2009, the Upper Taylor prescribed fire was able to resume. The USFWS provided an engine to assist with this phase of the burn. Originally, the ignition plan for the interior of the burn was to be done with PSD, but due to airspace restrictions from White Sands Missile Range, firefighters ignited the fire by hand. Most of the burn was completed in the next 3 days. There is approximately 300-400 acres of unburned islands that may be cleaned up this fall or spring as a test to find another viable burn window for PJ.

Benefits of these burns

Upper Taylor - reduced woody species encroachment into grasslands (especially PJ); improved forage for wildlife; restore natural role of fire into the ecosystem.

Mesa - reduced woody species encroachment into grasslands (especially PJ); improved forage for wildlife; restore natural role of fire into the ecosystem.

Interagency Resources used

BLM Socorro Fuels Crew & Engine 1632; Rio Puerco BLM Engines 1642 & 1441; USFWS Engine 2041; Carlsbad BLM T6 Engine; NM State Forestry Engines 31 and 32.

Contact: Lann Moore, Fuels Specialist, Albuquerque District Office (575) 838-1296.