Ground game for fighting wildfires

More than 1.4 million acres of land have burned across the U.S. due to wildfires in the 2021 wildfire season.

Twenty-seven wildfires have scorched lands in Ariz. and eight wildfires burned across N.M. in recent weeks. Wildfire seasons are typically between May and October, although recent fire seasons have stretched into December.

Sandra Moore, Fire Communications Specialist for the U.S. Forest Service Southwestern Region, told the Sun there are 12 fires currently burning in Arizona.

“This has been a busy year, extremely busy for the past three weeks,” she said.

In the Southwest area, the U.S. Forest Service reported 165 human-caused fires burned 4,914 acres, 92 natural-caused fires burned 183,762 acres, and 31 fires without a known cause, burned 236,715 acres. The amount totaled 288 fires that burned 425,390 acres, so far in 2021.

In comparison, in 2020, there were 639 human-caused fires in Arizona that burned 208,800 acres. In N.M., there were 182 human-caused fires that burned 70 acres.

Lightning has been the ignition that caused the most damage in 2020. In Arizona, 233 wildfires caused by lightning burned 332,822 acres. In N.M., 162 such fires burned 76,608 acres.

Fighting wildland fires is expensive. The largest wildfire in Arizona history was the Wallow Fire, which burned approximately 538,000 acres and cost more than $79 million to fight.

“The cost of each fire varies due to the complexity, duration, and number of resources needed to manage it,” Moore said.

She said the best weapon in firefighting is prevention, adding that it is never too late for people to take proactive measures around their property to reduce flammable material.

“Understanding that we live in a situation where we may have large woodland fires at any time of the year, means that we all need to ensure that we are ready for wildfires before they start,” she said.

Reducing brush and combustible material helps to slow or stop wildfire spread, and creating space also provides a safe place for firefighters to work.

The U.S. Forest Service Southwestern Region continues to work with interagency partners in the Southwestern Region, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

“We are ready to work with our local, state, Tribal and federal partners to respond safely and effectively to wildfire to protect our communities and natural resources,” Moore said. “It is  important that we all work together across the landscape to help improve forest health and resiliency.”

Navajo Region Assistant Fire Management Officer Johnson Benallie, said the current Navajo Nation fire season has been moderate for the most part.

“We have no major active fires going right now. The majority of fires we are responding to are from people burning trash and those fires getting into the wildland side,” he said.

The ongoing drought continues to impact wildland fires. Those dry conditions on tribal lands were the focus of a recent address by the Navajo Nation Commission on Emergency Management June 25 in a declaration related to the ongoing drought and increased fire restrictions from Stage 1 to Stage 2 signed by President Jonathan Nez June 21.

“The threat of wildfires is very serious, especially in the Southwest. In the Four Corners, there are multiple wildfires happening and the impacts are even more devastating due to the lack of moisture,” Nez said.

“Everyone has a responsibility to prevent fires and we have to hold each other accountable and encourage our loved ones to be safe and responsible at home and in our communities,” he added.

The restrictions include prohibition of possessing, manufacturing, selling or using fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices, all debris and field-clearing burns, all wood-burning, charcoal fires, campfires, warming fires, and charcoal barbecues, and discharging a firearm, except while engaged in a lawful hunt.

In addition, ceremonial fires must be properly registered and permitted by the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency five days prior to a ceremony.

Benallie encouraged the general public to follow Navajo Nation regulations during the Stage 1 and Stage 2 restrictions.

“Be cognizant when utilizing fire. Monitor winds and adjacent fuels. Put in the effort to prepare and pre-plan. Again, follow Navajo Nation regulations during the fire restrictions,” he said.

The Navajo Nation is working with the Navajo Forestry Department, BIA, and Navajo Region Branch of Wildland Fire and Aviation Management to encourage fire prevention.

By Rick Abasta
Sun Correspondent

ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico State Police was called to the Albuquerque Boys Reintegration Center at 4000 Edith Blvd around 10:30 am Dec. 8 for two juveniles who walked had away from the facility.

The juveniles were identified as Zane Fernandez, 20, of Carlsbad, and Benjamin Galind, 17, of Roswell.

Fernandez is described as a Hispanic male who is five-foot-five and 148 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.  He has the following tattoos: “Anna” on his left forearm, “Fernandez” on his right forearm, a cross on his right upper arm and three dots on the corners of both eyes. He has a scar on his left wrist.

He was last seen wearing blue jeans, white shoes and a black backpack.

He was committed to the facility for shooting at an occupied dwelling resulting in great bodily harm.

Galindo is described as a Hispanic male who is five-foot-six and 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has a scar on his left abdomen.

He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and a black and red windbreaker jacket. He was committed to the facility for possession of marijuana second offense.

If anyone has information as to the whereabouts of Fernandez and Galindo, do not approach, and call 911 or the New Mexico State Police at (505) 841-9256 option 3.

Mother and boyfriend arrested for child abuse

Staff Reports

Gallup Police Department officers responded to the shooting of an 8-month-old baby Dec. 8, which resulted in the arrest of the child's mother and boyfriend for child abuse.

According to a criminal complaint, GPD Officer Darius Johnson was dispatched to Zia Motel, 915 E Hwy 66, at about 6:35 pm, in reference to shots fired.

At the scene, Johnson met GPD Officer D. Hoffman, who arrived before him and had picked up an individual who was carrying an 8-month-old child who had been shot in the face.

According to a Dec. 9 GPD press release, the person who Hoffman found holding the baby "heard the mother crying for help and was rendered first aid when Hoffman arrived on scene."

Hoffman transported the child to Gallup Indian Medical Center and GPD officers spoke with Shayanne Nelson, 18, who reportedly said she was in the bathroom taking a shower with her boyfriend, Tyrell Bitsilly, 21, when she heard a gunshot go off and both she and Bitsilly ran out of the bathroom.

Nelson stated she saw her baby daughter lying in the middle of the bed bleeding from the face.

Nelson reportedly said her son must have found a handgun and was playing with it. She said Nelson she did not know the gun was in the room, and that it must have been there prior to their check-in.

Nelson said while she took the shower, she left the baby on the bed and the 3-year-old in the same room, alone.

Bitsilly reportedly said he was in the bathroom with Nelson, who was taking a shower, while the children were alone in the motel room. While in the bathroom, he allegedly heard a “pop,” and both he and Nelson exited the bathroom.

Bitsilly reportedly said he grabbed the child who was bleeding from the face.

A witness, the individual who was found carrying the bleeding baby, reportedly saw Bitsilly wiping the gun clean after the child was shot.

Bitsilly and Nelson were handcuffed, transported to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center and  booked — Bitsilly for abuse of a child resulting in bodily harm, abuse of a child placed in a dangerous situation and tampering with evidence; Nelson for abuse of a child resulting in great bodily harm and abuse of a child placed in a dangerous situation.

As of the night of Dec. 9, the child was still being treated. GPD detectives are investigating the incident.

Gallup Indian Medical Center will be the destination of patients who would generally go to Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services tonight.

Metro Dispatch put out a notice at 6:17 pm, that RMCH is on divert. They said the hospital placed the call, but did not tell the Sun the reason this action was taken.

The divert order means RMCH will not be accepting any patients until 6 am July 16 except for those suffering a stroke or suspected stroke.

All other patients en route to RMCH will be diverted to GIMC.

Efforts to contact RMCH received this response from spokesperson Ina M. Burmeister.

“From time to time workers call-in sick. This morning, our ER was more than adequately staffed. By evening, call-ins forced us to temporarily go on divert for the late shift. While we rarely go on divert, this occurrence is not unusual in small hospitals in small communities where staff resources are in short supply.”