Emergency, fire restrictions declared

News report from The Albuquerque Tribune Tuesday afternoon.

Three of New Mexico’s five national forests have imposed Level One fire restrictions, and Gov. Bill Richardson has declared a state of emergency as the state’s fire season blazed to a roaring start.

The lightning-sparked Peppin Fire in the Capitan Mountains destroyed at least one summer cabin as it continued to race across about 20,000 acres of rugged territory in the Lincoln National Forest today.

Westerners know all about the dangers of fire this year. This is posted to emphasize the seriousness of the situation for NewMexiKen’s readers in other parts of the U.S., and in 39 other countries (so far in May).