What is the county doing to prevent forest fires?
During New Mexico’s fire season, Colfax County has experienced costly forest fires in past years. The Colfax County Forester and Fire Marshal are working with the State and Federal Forest Service and local communities at risk to help reduce the fire danger by helping with efforts to eliminate dense vegetation around homes, and help with restoration of overgrown forests. The county has been working with the state to help develop a statewide, multi-agency forest and watershed health plan that will pave the way for better solutions and practices in creating a healthy environment. In 2005, Colfax County, in coordination with the Cimarron Watershed Alliance, supported the Taos Pines Community in the Moreno Valley in becoming a “Fire Wise” Community at the head of the Cimarron Watershed. Two other communities, Ute Park and Hidden Lake, are being targeted to become “Fire Wise” communities in 2006.
