Prescribed Fire in Gila National Forest

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Sierra SWCD - Your local leaders in natural resources.

With the extreme Wildland fire situations in New Mexico that began in 2000, communities were encouraged to develop a Fire plan that identifies areas that are susceptible to Wildland fires in urban interface areas and what steps need to be taken to mitigate those hazards. Federal agencies recognized the need to prepare for these types of areas in rural areas and adopted the “National Fire Plan” effort. The Sierra SWCD serves as the lead agency in Sierra County to draft a Wildland-Urban interface fire plan and find ways to implement that plan. The group includes the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land management, Bureau of Reclamation, NM State Forestry Division, County of Sierra, Department of Transportation, utility companies and the eleven volunteer fire departments.

The Sierra County Community Wildfire Protection Plan has identified five areas of concern for Wildland-Urban Interface fires, issues with highway right of ways, utilities, communication needs, VFD training and equipment needs and information and education. Action items have been identified. Two County wide FireWise workshops have been held and small timber utilization workshops. The Sierra County Wildland-Urban Interface Team continues to evaluate the prioritized concerns and search for funding to implement projects.  The Sierra SWCD received funding in 2005 to implement fuel load reduction treatment in a Bosque area along the Rio Grande area through the communities of Truth or Consequences and Williamsburg. Funding was secured from the New Mexico Association of Counties (NMAC) for a 80 acres treatment site in the Poverty Creek Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) area and to fund a part-time position of CWPP coordinator. Two more grants were secured from NMAC to continue funding the coordinator postion and to contact treatment at the Riverside Park, below Caballo Dam

Sierra County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (pdf)

Landowner thinning project– The Sierra SWCD has received funding to provide a 70/30% cost-share assistance program to landowners who would like to create a fuelbreak or defensible space around their home and property to reduce the threat of a wildfire. Landowners complete an application, an assessment and treatment plan is provided to the landowner . If he concurs, State Forestry reviews the plan and if approved the landowner implements the plan. Upon completion and review for compliance the landowner can receive 70% of the total cost of the treatment plan. Please contact Terry Miller, Sierra SWCD Wildland-Urban Interface Planner for details. The Sierra SWCD also received a grant from NM State Forestry to implement a defensible treatment plan for land recently acquired by the Yucca Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

20 communities cost share app
20 communities handout (PDF)