Firework fire danger in New Mexico for Fourth of July weekend
"If those fireworks do cause a fire, please call 911. Don't wait until it is out of control. Call us so we can help you," McConnell said.
"If those fireworks do cause a fire, please call 911. Don't wait until it is out of control. Call us so we can help you," McConnell said.
"If those fireworks do cause a fire, please call 911. Don't wait until it is out of control. Call us so we can help you," McConnell said.
Monsoon rain has hammered New Mexico, bringing moisture to our bone-dry forests, but is it enough to eliminate fire danger going into the holiday weekend? KOAT asked Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya and Bernalillo County Fire Marshal Mark McConnell for the answer.
"We didn't have rain for almost five months, and then we got a bunch of rain. It's great, but we need to stay diligent and not put our guard down. If we get a few dry days in a row, all that moisture content in fire fuel could dry up," Moya said.
As we head into the Fourth of July weekend, Moya said there's one thing to be most worried about. Illegal Fireworks. The city of Santa Fe is running a community celebration to keep people from setting fireworks off by themselves.
"Let the professionals light the fireworks and just sit back and enjoy them with your families," Moya said.
If you live in Bernalillo County and plan on having your own celebration for the 4th of July, you can buy legal fireworks at tents throughout the city. All fireworks are prohibited within one hundred feet of the Bosque or East Mountains.
Mark McConnell said, "We worry about bottle rockets, the Roman candles, and those kinds of things are going to shoot it up high in the air above the six feet. Once they go up in the air, we don't know where they're going to come down and land."
Bernalillo County fire officials spend days investigating firework tents, making sure only legal ones are sold.
"Some of it is to protect our beautiful Bosque and East Mountain areas. What we can do in Bernalillo County is sell legal fireworks that are safe for the community to enjoy in safe spaces. If those fireworks do cause a fire, please call 911. Don't wait until it is out of control. Call us so we can help you," McConnell said.
The city of Albuquerque is also planning a community fireworks show. They encourage everyone to enjoy the fireworks at the event safely.