Bernalillo County firefighters are using the end of the winter to prepare for rising temps and increased fire danger

Bernalillo County firefighters are using the end of the winter to prepare for rising temps and increased fire danger

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

Bernalillo County firefighters are using the end of the winter to prepare for rising temps and increased fire danger

Fire season is just around the corner. This week, our metro had an increased fire danger due to dry winds, and our state's firefighters are making sure they're ready for it.

Bernalillo County Fire Department Battalion Commander Timothy Cox says, "It's been a very dry winter, we are in for some higher temperatures this summer, and with that, we want to be on high alert with the potential for fire danger."

Fighting wildfires in New Mexico's bosque can be extremely difficult.

Battalion Commander Cox says our fire departments have trucks that can pump water and portable pumps that we can set near the water source, draw water out of, and then run hose lines for as long as we need to from that.

During fire season, access to water sources is vital, and those pumps can bring water as far as 8 miles to fight fires in our bosque.

"We're making sure that our crews are prepared with adequate equipment and the training to respond to these events," says Battalion Commander Cox.

Battalion Commander Cox says the historic drought has put Bernalillo county at high risk. Specifically our bosque and east mountain areas.

"The drier we have a season, the more dead vegetation we're going to have. All of that is going to be involved in increasing that fire load and fire potential," says Battalion Commander Cox.

There are some things we can do to prevent these fires. When you burn outside, make sure there's a water source within 10 feet of the flame. Always stay at least 50 feet away from a structure, and never leave the fire unattended.

Battalion commander Cox also says to keep an eye out for red flags flying outside fire departments during the summer months. Those red flags mean absolutely no outdoor burning at all.

Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.