Fall 2011 La Ventana en los Valles News of the Valles Caldera National Preserve from the Valles Caldera Trust The Las Conchas Fire: Flames and Floods in the Valles Caldera by Bob Parmenter, Director of Science and Education At one o’clock on the after- noon of Sunday, June 26th, high winds toppled an aspen tree into a power line on private land near Las Conchas, New Mexico, just south of State Highway 4 and the Valles Caldera National Pre- serve. The ensuing sparks on ultra-dry tinder started a fire that would burn into New Mexico’s history as the largest for- est fire ever recorded. During the first 14 hours, the fire raced eastward, con- suming more than 43,000 acres of forest This photo was taken a little after 3:00 p.m. on June 26, by Milt and destroying dozens of homes. The speed of the McConnell of New Mexico Trout as he drove from the staging area to the NM 4 entrance. (See his story on page 12.) The Valles Caldera Trust oversees the Valles Caldera National Preserve, formerly the fire’s spread was astonishing—averaging an acre of forest privately owned “Baca Ranch.” The 89,000 burned every 1.17 seconds (that’s equivalent to burning acre property is located in the Jemez Mountains a forested area the size of a football field in less than 2 in northern New Mexico. It was purchased by seconds) for 14 straight hours. The fire continued to grow the federal government in 2000 under the Valles over the next five weeks, and was eventually contained by Caldera Preservation Act. The property is known Forest Service firefighters on August 1st at 156,593 acres for its huge meadows, abundant wildlife, meandering (245 square miles). Of this area, approximately 30,000 streams, and remarkable scenery. The mission of acres (55 square miles) of the Valles Caldera National Pre- the Trust is to create a successful model of public serve was burned, mostly during the first week of the fire. land management that protects and preserves the (See burn severity map on page 5.) unique values of the Preserve. Toward that end, the Trust will operate the Preserve as a working ranch; Fire and Plants endeavor to become financially self-sustaining; The forested caldera rim and its interior domes, meet the varied needs of visitors; strive to use and along with the grassy valles, experienced varying impacts steward the multiple resources of the Preserve; and from the fire. About 25% of the area within the fire perim- work collaboratively with our neighbors. (continued on page 4) La Ventana en los Valles 1 The Valles Caldera Trust The “Fire Starter” 18161 Hwy 4 Jemez Springs, NM 87025 505-661-3333 www.vallescaldera.gov Dennis Trujillo, Interim Executive Director The Board of Trustees Ray Loretto, Chair (2013) [email protected]; 505-274-5758 Melissa Savage, Vice Chair (2013) [email protected]; 505-983-8515 Ken Smith, Secretary (2013) [email protected]; 931-598-3219 The Las Conchas Fire began a little after one o’clock Virgil Trujillo (2013) the afternoon of June 26th when a gust of wind blew [email protected]; 505-929-3900 a 75 foot tall aspen into a power line. The tree was Maria Garcia, among a stand of fir trees but a small gap in the stand Supervisor, Santa Fe National Forest provided enough room for the aspen to fall into the [email protected]; 505-438-5312 utility right of way and snag the power line. From that Jason Lott, ridgetop, about a quarter mile west of Las Conchas, Superintendent, Bandelier National Monument began the largest wildfire in New Mexico history. [email protected]; 505-672-3861 x502 Dr. Bob Parmenter and Dennis Trujillo re- cently led a group of scientists from the Valles Caldera and the USGS at Bandelier National Monument to the site. Bob cut several cross sectional pieces (“cookies”) from the trunk of the “fire starter” for analysis at the University of Arizona’s Laboratory of Tree Ring Re- The Board of Trustees is composed of seven members search in Tucson. He also cut a sample from a nearby appointed by the President of the United States and Ponderosa pine stump that had numerous burn scars two who serve ex officio (Superintendent of Bandelier within its rings. The hope is to match the sprouting and Supervisor of Santa Fe National Forest). The ap- date of the aspen tree with one of the historic fires pointed Trustees generally serve four-year terms and, recorded in the pine stump. This information will add except for the Chair, receive no compensation for their to the story of the Las Conchas fire, and help illustrate work. the cyclic nature of forest fire in the Jemez Moun- tains. If you would like to receive a copy of the [Above] Fire Starter. [Below] Flashpoint of the Las Conchas Fire. Comprehensive Management Framework, the (Photos courtesy of Dr. Bob Parmenter.) Annual Report to Congress, the State of the Preserve, or notices regarding events, public Board meetings, or planning for management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, contact The Valles Caldera Trust P.O. Box 359 Jemez Springs, NM 87025 505-661-3333 (phone) 505-661-0400 (fax) www.vallescaldera.gov 2 Fall 2011 From the Chairman’s Desk by Dr. Raymond Loretto, Valles Caldera Trust Chairman of the Board of Trustees “What a difference a year forced us to take a step back and pause to recognize makes!” is how I began my that we are not in control of the earth’s destiny. We are Spring Newsletter message to here to be good stewards of what has been given to you. I must revise that state- us. ment to, “What a difference a strong wind can make,” So out of the ashes we shall reinvigorate rela- for our Fall edition. Of course, I am referring to the tionships with our friends, neighbors, and community gust that blew down the tree that snapped the power to restore the land and sow a new beginning to stew- line that started the fire and changed the landscape of ardship of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Won’t the Jemez Mountains and the Valles Caldera forever. you please join us? As I am sure you have read in this newsletter, almost one third of the Preserve was burned during the Las Conchas fire, now on record as the largest wildfire in Fire Alters Grazing New Mexico history. It was a time of destruction and devastation, but it was also a time of great strength Program and resiliency displayed by our staff, friends, and neighbors. Even before the fire crossed NM4 and entered The day the fire broke out, Preserve staff ex- the Preserve, Ranch Manager Tim Haarmann and his ecuted the evacuation of visitors to perfection and staff knew exactly what to do to keep the grazing cattle in the following days and weeks provided support ahead of the fire and out of harm’s way. to firefighting teams by helping set up the Redondo “We opened the gates, cut fences, and pushed Meadows Base Camp, conducting cultural resource them into San Antonio and Valle Grande areas for a management, and participating with communications couple of weeks,” he said. “They never really seemed teams and firefighters. They were, in a word, “spec- bothered by the fire. They just mingled with the elk tacular.” who also were unfazed by the situation.” After the fire they were back at work doing Fortunately, there was no known livestock loss what they do best: stewardship of the Preserve and to the grazing program from the Las Conchas fire. Most rebuilding what they could. It was no accident that, of the cattle were moved back to their pastures. How- while some areas outside the Preserve were still burn- ever, the Rincon de los Soldados pasture was heavily ing, the Valle Grande staging area re-opened on a lim- burned and forced Haarmann to remove the 102 ani- ited basis July 13th. mal units that were grazing the pasture for the rest of I don’t mean to minimize the devastation the season. That reduced the number to 475 from the and destruction. It is original 600 animal units that were real and it is a game part of this year’s program. Despite changer for how we, the fire and reduced numbers, all the board and staff, other aspects of the livestock pro- will approach 2012 gram, including the high altitude and the years to come. bull research and heifer replace- Some of the plans we ment program, remained intact for made will not come the remainder of the season. to pass, others may take more time, and Cows graze while the fire burns in the still others are yet to background. (Photo courtesy of D. Rourke McDermott.) be formed. The fire La Ventana en los Valles 3 Las Conchas Fire (continued from page 1) growth, was highly nutritious and desirable to wildlife herbivores, such as elk, deer, rabbits, prairie dogs, and insects. Even the livestock in the post-fire Valle Santa Rosa crossed the fire line to graze contentedly with the elk on the abundant new grass shoots. Overall, these areas of low-severity burns undoubtedly benefitted eco- logically from the Las Conchas fire, cycling nutrients and stimulating plant growth and wildlife use. The forests higher up the domes and the cal- dera’s rim endured a mixed-severity fire, with patches of medium- and high-severity burns. About 9,500 [Above] Burned grassland in Valle Grande, July 6th.