The Forest Stewards Guild reminds the public that – Wildfire Preparedness Is Year-Round: Don’t Fall Behind. Courtesy/FSG

Forest Stewards Guild News:

With fall weather in the air, temperatures are getting colder, and nights are getting longer.

This also means that trees are shedding their leaves and dropping their needles. As these burnable materials pile up, they become a fuel bed and can become a fire hazard under dry conditions. In the event of a wildfire, leaves and needles are a fuel source for embers and can ignite easily allowing fires to spread to your home. 

This month’s Wildfire Preparedness Is Year-Round Message:” Don’t Fall Behind”. Maintain preparedness by clearing leaves and debris around your home.

Areas to focus on should be: 

• Rooftops/Gutters
  Typically, the most vulnerable area of a home is the rooftop. Clean around your rooftop and gutters ensuring they are free of leaves, needles, and vegetation. 
• Deck/Balconies
  Decks and balconies should be cleaned and free of leaves and pine needles.
• Landscape/Outlying Structures
  Rake and clear areas surrounding your home and any outlying structures ensuring they are clean and free of debris and leaf litter.   

Preparedness year-round helps to keep your home and property safe from wildfire. For additional preparedness tip visit NFPA – Preparing Homes for Wildfires.

The Forest Stewards Guild and FACNM are working with the Santa Fe, Cibola and Carson National Forests, New Mexico Forestry Division, New Mexico Coalition of Conservation Districts, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Bureau of Land Management New Mexico to continue our wildfire preparedness calendar in 2023 and share the message across multiple platforms, including social media, webinars and community events. Bookmark the wildfire preparedness webpage to follow the campaign throughout the year.