A news release from Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos County, the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Los Alamos Field Office and the Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office
The Cerro Pelado fire burning in the Jemez Mountains grew from 40,958 acres yesterday to 42,491 acres today, which is the slowest daily growth in recent days, despite high winds and dry conditions. However, continued high winds and low humidity are forecasted for the next two days, so firefighting crews remain on high alert and ask residents to do the same.
More than 871 personnel are working the fire. Today, firefighting operations are focused on National Forest Road 287, where crews are taking actions to slow the fire’s spread and keep it from entering Frijoles Canyon.
No evacuation orders in Los Alamos County have been issued. The incident command team, the NNSA, Los Alamos County, the Laboratory and other responding agencies are working closely to take all factors into account when making decisions about whether to put the community on alert. They are considering both where, geographically, the fire is burning, and the conditions of the fire as guidelines. A spot fire is burning in Alamo Canyon, but fire officials have determined that it does not present a significant concern at this time.
Yesterday, the N.M. 4 closure at the intersection of West Jemez Road was extended to mile marker 61 on N.M. 4 to allow for the safety of personnel conducting wildfire mitigation activities. Residents could see more fire-response personnel in the County, but this is not a cause for alarm. These are proactive measures for planning and to keep an eye out for spot fires.
County and Lab in ‘set’ phase
As a precautionary measure only, the Laboratory and the County on Sunday announced the move to the “set” phase of “ready, set, go,” which began for the townsite and White Rock May 9. “Set” means that conditions could change rapidly, and it is time to create a plan and prepare in case of an evacuation order. Frequently asked questions related to preparation are available. The County has also posted FAQs on its webpage.
“Set” means Los Alamos-area residents should create an evacuation plan, a “go bag,” and a communication plan that includes area evacuation and contact information, and be sure to pay close attention to news and information about the fire.
It is also important to remember that these measures are precautionary and designed to give residents plenty of time to evacuate. The “Go” stage will be situational, but it aims to give everyone a 24-hour window to evacuate if needed.
IF the County moves to the “go” phase, officials anticipate that it would require only residents from the townsite to evacuate. This would initially include all neighborhoods in Los Alamos County except for White Rock. At this point, the White Rock area does not appear that it would be in the path of the fire and would remain in the “set” phase; however, White Rock residents should still be prepared if circumstances change.
Watch yesterday’s community meeting; additional resources available
- The Great Basin Team 1 and community representatives provided a Cerro Pelado fire update yesterday, which can be viewed online.
- Residents can learn about evacuation status via the Laboratory’s webpage, the Los Alamos County Cerro Pelado Fire Updates page and the community’s CodeRED alert system. Sign up for Los Alamos County’s CodeRED emergency alerts by texting LOSALAMOS to 99411. Also, a step-by-step guide to signing up for CodeRED can be watched on YouTube.
- More information about packing a “go bag” and other information about evacuations is available on this Federal Emergency Management Agency website. Shelter information also is available. (Note: There is no evacuation order at this time from either the County or the Laboratory.)
- Forms are available on the County’s webpage, where individuals can pose questions and request assistance with transportation or animals in case of evacuation.
- A form is also available on the County’s webpage, where questions can be submitted about county operations as it relates to the fire. For fire specific questions, contact the Great Basin Team 1 by phone at 505-312-4593, 303-918-4004 or email at CerroPelado@firenet.gov. Please do not contact emergency responders directly.
- Air quality updates can be found on the Laboratory’s air quality monitoring website and on AirNow.
- Be sure to rely on official sources for the latest information on the Cerro Pelado fire, such as: