The Capitan Gap Fire, the Taos Snowballs and Smokey Bear ~ Val Christianson, WUI Prevention Specialist - NIFC
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The Capitan Gap Fire, the Taos Snowballs and Smokey Bear ~ Val Christianson, WUI Prevention Specialist - NIFC The original Taos Pueblo Snowballs in the St. Santiago Feast Day parade in Taos, NM, July 25, 1950, just two months after the Capitan Gap fire. PREFACE: Adolph Samora and Paul was a request for assistance in fighting Romero are the only two surviving a wildfire that had begun the day The Office of the Taos WarChiefs members of the original Taos Pueblo before in the Capitan Mountains. The (the local Pueblo Government), Snowballs. They witnessed the events “Los Tablos Fire” was being driven by under the supervision of Geronimo first hand which are spoken of in this 70 mile per hour winds accompanied “Duck” Trujillo (Telisfor’s father), brief account. by scouring sand blown in from the was contacted by Lupe and Telisfor, southwest. The Carson SO Dispatch who themselves were both Pueblo There have been numerous tales, contacted seasonal employees Lupe members. Since there were no phones accounts, and biographies of the Martinez and Telisfor Trujillo. Lupe in the village in 1950, the only way original encounter with the tiny black and Telisfor, the Crew Foremen, are to communicate an urgent message to bear cub that would become Smokey. referred to today as “Crew Reps” for Tribal members was via the “Village The Mescalero Redhats are mentioned. emergency “pickup crews” (EFF) from Crier.” The WarChief ascended to The US Army is mentioned. But there rural communities in northern New the top of the Pueblo massif, four has never been any mention in any Mexico. They were directed to gather stories in height, and began wailing account of the Taos Pueblo Snowballs. together the recently formed Taos aloud in the native Tiwa tongue And so here is the rest of the story… Pueblo “Snowballs” and prepare them summoning the available firefighters to board the old school bus and travel of the village to report immediately. Early Friday morning, May 5, south to the Lincoln National Forest An opportunity for the new Snowballs 1950, the Carson National Forest and assist on the 1,000 acre fire. This to go on assignment was at hand. Supervisor’s Office, in Taos, New adventure would be but the second First come, first served, only 25 men Mexico, received a phone call from outing for the Snowballs, the first would be boarding the bus. They the Lincoln National Forest in being a wildfire on the Gila National were to assemble in the village plaza southeastern New Mexico. The call Forest near Silver City the month and be counted. They must have their before. Left is Paul Romero and right, Adolph Samora. These gentlemen are regrettably the last of the original Snowballs. own work boots and the emergency bus headed down the deep canyon small soda, a bologna sandwich with a personal provisions provided by the of the Rio Grande. The older crew little mayo, an apple and a handful of Carson. The only helmets that the members wrapped themselves in chips for each member. Yum! Forest cache could find for the crew Pendleton and Chimayo woolen were a box of metal, wide brimmed blankets to keep warm. The morning The tired crew arrived at the Los hardhats painted white. Crew member breakfast consisted of what the wives Tablos base camp early Friday Del Reyna looked at his crewmates and mothers had prepared back in the evening. After their Crew Reps and then looked up at the majestic Pueblo, the now-famous breakfast checked them in, the Snowballs snow covered Taos Mountains burrito, a flour tortilla with pintos, stowed their personal gear in a small towering over the Pueblo and onion and potatoes. Green chili was cache next to a freshly bulldozed remarked, “We all look like a bunch of not yet in season! The crew passed the juniper tree, then grabbed a handtool, snowballs!” The crew all laughed and time singing aloud “Taos Round Dance a round half gallon metal canteen, the name stuck. It is still used today Songs” and fantasizing if they might and an impromptu sack lunch, with by Taos Pueblo members when they be able to make a down payment on you guessed it, a bologna and mayo go out as an EFF crew. They boarded a new Ford pickup with their fire sandwich. They hooked up headlamps the old school bus that was driven by paycheck! As the bus wound its way to their helmets, jumped on Army Sam Martinez. The crew bosses for along the side of the roaring river, deuce and a halfs (two and a half ton the Snowballs were Tony and Albert swollen with the spring snowmelt, the transportation trucks for troops) and Martinez and they reported directly Jemez Mountains appeared just west were driven several miles to a drop to Lupe and Telisfor. Tony and Albert of the Rio and the Snowballs could off point. They immediately began to would keep track of the crew’s time not imagine that exactly 50 years later hike up an established fireline where and handle logistics in the base camp some of their sons, daughters and they would relieve the day crew of US and on the fire line. grandchildren would be involved in Army soldiers from Ft. Bliss, Texas, suppressing the largest human-caused who were supervised by New Mexico As soon as the manifest was wildfire in New Mexico history, the Game Wardens. Their responsibility completed, the Snowballs loaded Cerro Grande above Los Alamos. The would be that of extending the fireline the bus and headed south on a long, bus proceeded through downtown around the perimeter of the still active uncomfortable, albeit exciting, all- Albuquerque and stopped at the fire, widening the line, and patrolling day drive. The northern New Mexico historic “Lindy’s Diner” on Fifth and for spot fires and hotspots. Night crew spring morning was still crisp as the Route 66. Lupe and Telisfor obtained a duty usually involved mop-up: a dirty, mundane and sometimes dangerous overhead, singeing their clothes and freshly burned vegetation of the forest job. They were forever watchful of hair, crowning as it raced from west floor. embers that may have blown over the to east. This is what we would term fireline by the erratic spring winds. a “burn over” today. All of the crew Telisfor reached out to gently survived, with only minor injuries. encompass the cub in his hands and By late Saturday morning, May 6, Late in the afternoon, after such a remove it from the snag. Even with the Los Tablos was coming under close call, the Ft. Bliss crew began his gloves on, and due to the obvious containment and fire personnel were their trek down Capitan Mountain to fright and confusion of the animal, beginning to be demobilized. By base camp for some much needed rest he quickly put him down on the early afternoon the Snowballs were and first aid. forest floor when the disoriented cub gathering their belongings to begin attempted to lash out at him. The crew the journey back to Taos when a new Through the smoke and haze of the all laughed at Telisfor as the little cub alarm went through the base camp fire, dusk came early that evening. scampered several feet away. They that another wildfire had started As the Snowballs headed uphill to knew they would not be able to rescue upwind from their present location. begin their night “mop-up” duties, the animal, or adopt it as a mascot, The “Demob” process was put on they passed the Ft. Bliss crew heading because they still had their evening hold for everyone and the base camp down off of the line toward base tasks to perform. At orientation in was ordered to relocate as soon as camp. On that particular section base camp everyone had been told possible because it was directly in the of the fireline only the military that this part of the Forest was also anticipated path of the new fire, the crews and the Snowballs were on a game preserve and that all wildlife “Capitan Gap Fire.” After just a few duty. They briefly explained their should be strictly left alone for fear of hours of uncomfortable rest upon their burn over experience to Lupe and a $300 fine from Game and Fish. The return from the previous night’s shift, Telisfor, a harrowing ordeal. The little cub attempted to tag after the the Snowballs were ordered out to the Snowballs gratefully acknowledged crew as they continued their upward line again. That Saturday afternoon the survival of the soldiers and then trek on the fireline, but it soon gave they punched direct line with the wondered what they were getting up its pursuit due to its injuries. Thus Soldiers from Ft. Bliss, along with into that evening with their mop-up ended the very brief, yet unheralded new crews reporting to base camp. duties because the temperature and and historical, encounter of the Taos These crews included the Mescalero winds had abated little. As they parted Pueblo Snowballs and what would Apache Redhats, and community company with the soldiers, Game become the living Smokey Bear. crews from Zia Pueblo and Santo Warden Speed Simmons hollered back Domingo Pueblo. The Mescalero crew up at the Snowballs that there was a As they continued up the fireline they was sponsored by the Bureau of Indian small, wild and frightened black bear encountered another Ft. Bliss crew Affairs, while Zia and Santo Domingo cub further up near the rock outcrop that was headed downhill after their were sponsored by the Forest Service.