Here's a short quiz to determine if you're an idiot and are qualified to work at the U.S. Forest Service.
During the windiest month of the year in New Mexico and during a week when high winds are predicted you:
A. Start a prescribed burn in The Cibola National Forest near Grants;
B. Before you start the fire you ignore the week's weather forecast for high winds;
C. You start the fire even though high winds are predicted for the entire week. Who cares about weather forecasts?
D. All of the above!
Congratulations if you answered “yes” to all of the questions. You're an idiot and should immediately apply for a job at the Forest Service.
The news coming out of Grants where two forest fires are now burning uncontrolled staggers any mind, even one with only half a working brain cell.
On Monday, the Forest Service started a prescribed burn in the Cibola National Forest near Grants. Now, that prescribed burn is is out of control. That's right, the geniuses at the Forest Service started a fire during a week when high winds were predicted.
A comment on KRQE's Facebook page summed up the monumental stupidity:
“Why do these idiots try to do controlled burns during the windiest and driest times of the year???”
The answer is because they are idiots.
If you don't remember, in May of 2000 the Cerro Grande forest fire burned down homes in Los Alamos and was close to burning down Los Alamos National Laboratory. That fire consumed 48,000 acres. And guess what? It started out as a prescribed burn.
Here's a KRQE News 13 story on the fires near Grants:
GRANTS, N.M. (KRQE) - Forest officials confirm two fires continue to burn on the Mount Taylor Ranger District.
Officials say a prescribed fire near Grants started by the U.S. Forest Service has escaped its containment and is now a wildfire.
The Diener Canyon Fire is located in the Zuni Mountains about 5 miles outside of Bluewater State Park and 15 miles west of Grants and Milan.
Officials say the fire has burned an estimated 1,000 acres with no containment.
They say a separate fire, the Bluewater Fire, is also burning an estimated 1,000 acres with no containment.
McKinely County officials now say residents in Bluewater Acres have been put on standby to possibly evacuate.
About 50 campers at Bluewater Lake State Park have also been evacuated.
The Diener Canyon Fire was started by the Forest Service on Monday, April 9. Here's what the Forest Service had to say about it:
Albuquerque, NM, April 10, 2018 – Smoke impacts from the Redondo Prescribed Fire have been reported in the Prewitt and Baca communities and also along Interstate 40 in the Zuni Mountains between Grants and Gallup.
Fire managers ignited 1,300 acres on the Redondo Prescribed Fire yesterday to reduce forest fuels, increase habitat diversity, and reduce the risk of uncharacteristic high severity wild fires. Another 1,300 acres will likely be ignited today and additional smoke impacts are expected tonight and into tomorrow morning.
Again, if you are stupid enough to start a fire during the windiest month of the year in New Mexico, apply now to the U.S. Forest Service!