New Mexico Governor declares wildfire emergency

13418544_285651421781675_450494931547704504_oPRESS RELEASE – New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez Declares State of Emergency in Response to Dog Head Wildfire

Santa Fe, NM — Today, June 15, Governor Susana Martinez declared a state of emergency in response to the Dog Head Wildfire affecting portions of Bernalillo and Torrance Counties. The Governor has also directed state agencies to offer all available resources to assist local authorities in the affected areas.

“Our first priority is the health and safety of New Mexicans in the affected areas and communities,” Martinez said. “I’ve directed our state agencies to offer all available resources to assist our local partners in responding to the fire, and we’ll continue to coordinate with the emergency response team to monitor the fire. Property can be replaced, but lives cannot – as our coordinated response to the fire continues, I ask New Mexicans to be mindful of this, and to not take unnecessary risks.”

The Governor’s declaration of a state of emergency will enable counties to order and pay for additional resources needed to help with this emergency. Earlier today, the Governor also ordered the activation of New Mexico’s Emergency Operations Center to assist in the coordinated response to the fire.

State agencies such as the N.M. State Police, the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, NM State Forestry, and others are assisting with the response to the fire. The Governor has also directed the NM National Guard to be prepared to assist with the response if needed.

The Dog Head Wildfire is affecting areas of Bernalillo and Torrance Counties, and has burned approximately 2,000 acres so far. State and local authorities will continue to monitor and respond to the fire through a coordinated effort as the situation develops.

IncWeb, Incident Information Overview for June 15, Wednesday, http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4784/

Crews monitored the Dog Head Fire throughout the night. Cooler temperatures helped to minimize fire growth. An infrared flight conducted at 2:45 AM allowed fire managers to obtain a more accurate measure of the fire’s size. The Dog Head Fire is 682 acres with no reported containment.

Two (20 person) Hot Shot crews are on site, and two more are expected to arrive this morning. Other resources include 4 helicopters, 2 lead planes, 1 air attack, 6 single engine air tankers, and 6 air tankers.

Two additional helicopters and one air attack are on order and should arrive this morning as well. The local Type 3 team that has been on scene will continue to manage fire operations throughout today.
An incoming Type 2 team, under the command of Rich Nieto, will attend an 8:00 AM briefing to obtain an overview of the fire; they will shadow the Type 3 Team throughout the day, and assume responsibility of the Dog Head Fire this evening.
Voluntary evacuations have been recommended for Monzano Morning, Aceves Road, and La Parra Road. A community meeting will take place tonight at 7:00 PM at a location yet to be determined.
A temporary phone center has been established to provide information about the Dog Head Fire from 8:30 AM until 6:00 PM today. Please call 505-346-3870 if you have questions. A new Fire Information phone number will be available this evening.
A Facebook page has also been established for the Dog Head fire at:https://www.facebook.com/Dog-Head-Fire-Information-285293221817495/

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