Why Fire Evacuees Can’t Go Home Yet

MANZANO MOUNTAIN RESIDENTS FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOMES BY THE DOG HEAD FIRE ARE EAGER TO GET BACK TO THEIR PROPERTY, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TO MAKE SURE IT’S STILL THERE. BUT KAREN TAKAI WITH THE STATE HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT TELLS US JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T SEE SMOKE AND FLAMES FROM YOUR VANTAGE POINT DOESN’T MEAN THERE’S NO LONGER DANGER. TAKAI SAYS EMBERS FROM HOT SPOTS CAN FLY INTO UNBURNED AREAS WITH THE SLIGHTEST SHIFT OF THE WIND.

TAKAI ALSO SAYS PNM HAS TO INFORM EVERY AGENCY INVOLVED IF THE POWER IF BACK ON AND IF IT’S SAFE FOR RESIDENTS TO RETURN. SHE SAYS THEY HAVE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION WITH FIRE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW.

WEB SITES TO GET YOU INFORMATION ON YOUR AREA ARE WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DOGHEADFIRE … WW.NWCG.GOV/INCIDENT/4784/ …AND WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NMDHSEM.