C&TS and the Current Fire Danger new

[Roger Hogan]

Copied With Permission.
Scott Gibbs [ PM ]
C&TS and the Current Fire Danger new
May 28, 2022 01:00PM Registered: 14 years ago
Posts: 347
Several members of the C&TS Management team had a discussion with Carson NF, Rio Grande NF, NM State Forestry and CO State Forestry on the 24th. The RR presented our Wildland Fire Prevention and Mitigation Plan. We had a great discussion with the various State and Federal Agencies. Cason NF let us know they would not be providing an exemption to the RR for our operations but they would also not prohibit us from operating within our Right of Way. All entities did make it clear that it the RR initiated a fire, all the fire fighting and recovery costs would be billed back to the RR.
The four entities were very complimentary of the investments we have made this year in fire-fighting equipment and the thought we have put into limiting operations if the probability of ignition exceeds pre-determined levels.
With almost 3,000 firefighters working the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire there are very few resources remaining to fight another wildland fire. The State and Federal agencies are leaving the decision to run trains to the RR. The C&TS Commission will hold an emergency meeting on June 1 to discuss changes to the 2022 operating plans based on the extreme fire danger present in New Mexico. Here is a link to the Commission meeting [commission.ctsrr.com]
The forest roads through the Carson NF are currently closed. They have allowed the RR and our contractors to pass through the 0.9 miles of FR 103 crossing the Carson NF to continue recovery work at the Osier dining hall. We are not allowed to stop within the Carson NF. Carson NF did close access to Big Horn and Sublette by road and have placed roadblocks across the roads.
Yesterday we moved diesel 15 to Antonito using diesel 19. I rode along to look at the conditions across the Railroad.
From Chama to Antonito the RR is incredibly dry! Going up Cumbres areas where animals have walked there were not distinct footprints. The ground is so dry the dust had partially filled in the hoof prints. The moisture that fell as snow on Tuesday morning is gone. I pulled some small Aspen leaves, Choke Cherry leaves and Ponderosa Pine needles. All were very dry. The small Aspen tips did not have any sap in the leaf stem. Most of the springs are running like it is late August not late May, The east end of the RR is very dry. The sagebrush looks like it is dying in some areas. The grasshoppers are out in abundance. They were present as if it where mid-summer. There are Red Flag warnings in place for Chama and Antonito today and tomorrow. The predictions for the monsoon season looks favorable.
Scott Gibbs

[Fred L. Kuhns]

Roger thanks for sharing Scott Gibbs current assessment of the fire danger. The forest service both state and federal in New Mexico are faced with a very large fire problems all over the state.

[Roger Hogan]

Roger thanks for sharing Scott Gibbs current assessment of the fire danger. The forest service both state and federal in New Mexico are faced with a very large fire problems all over the state.

Pray for rain.