2023-2024 All Hands All Lands Winter Rx Crew
A story about fire, snow, wet boots, and building wildfire resilience in northern New Mexico
In addition to meeting many aspects of the Guild's mission, this program addresses many of the recommendations on fuels management and workforce development from the 2023 Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission report including:
- #17, about investing in fuels reduction treatments;
- #24 addressing flexibility of federal funds to move across boundaries, in this case using the Wyden authority;
- #85, recruiting a more diverse workforce;
- #89, creating of a workforce focused on restoration or mitigation;
- #95 building training opportunities for mitigation and management workforce; and
- #90, addressing expanding investments in non-federal workforce.
A Journey Through the Hills
During the Winter the Pile Squad assisted in 8 burns, totaling in 1116 acres. Let's take a tour of where the squad burned.
A look at the Aztec Springs pile burn
This burn was a focus for the Guild and the Nature Conservancy. After many years of thinning completed by The City of Santa Fe Wildland Division, there were numerous piles in the wildland urban interface sandwiched between private lands and directly adjacent Forest Service managed lands.
The Guild led the burn from tip to tail, and the crew supported with outreach efforts beforehand, operations during the burn, and extensive patrol after the burn. Now that the burn is completed it increases safety during fire season for the neighbors and allows upcoming Forest Service broadcast burns to happen smoothly.
The AHAL crew became extremely familiar with the terrain of Aztec Springs. After ignitions countless steps were taken, quite literally, to eradicate any remaining heat.
Crew members and fellow Guild staff stoically looking upon their work
Back to the map, and some of toughest burns the squad experienced.
Besides the Burns
Trainings, Experiences, and Growth
The Crew After a Winter of Fire and Ice
The crew accumulated a wealth of experiences in these short few months. They not only burned 1116 acres, but also completed thinning at two project sites, and gained valuable skills and knowledge. We struggled, laughed, and hiked a little bit more than we liked sometimes, but most importantly we made the forests of northern New Mexico safer place to be.
These memories and experiences will last a lifetime, and so will the impact of our work.
Credit given to
Guild Staff
Sam Lynch
AHAL Crew Leader
Jose Ramirez
AHAL Crew Member
Javier Cordova
AHAL Crew Member
Carlos Saiz
Southwest Fire and Fuels Coordinator
Sam Berry
Southwest Associate Director
Eytan Krasilovsky
Deputy Director
