Accomplishments
One of the most important acomplishments has been an evolution of public awareness with regard to wildfire. Most property owners have bought into the idea of personal responsibility for reducing the risk of property loss by reducing hazards on their own property. Simple steps done over time make a significant difference in protecting values at risk in the Ruidoso area.
Below are maps of areas in compliance with Forestry ordinances implemented over the past years. Properties in green are minimum standards (Section 42-80) compliant, lots in purple are Cost Share Progaram compliant (also minimum standards), and lots in white are not yet in compliance. Once in compliance, property owners are issued a Certificate of Compliance good for 5 years in most cases. The five years referrs to tree thinning and pruning (trees will grow out of compliance). Annual pine needle removal and removal of growing "ladder fuel" is strongly recommended.
CFMP Implementations aggregate 2003-2009
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Actions taken by members of the Ruidoso WUI Group have resulted in effective treatment of more than 6000 acres of public land in the Ruidoso Wildland Urban Interface. To implement its part in this plan, Ruidoso addressed 638 acres of municipal land located in two critical locations. In 2001, the Lincoln NF and Ruidoso, with NFP funding, collaborated on 200 acres around Grindstone Reservoir. These acres border on the south and west with recently treated National Forest land. This treatment reduces wildfire hazards and adds protection to this potable reservoir. Also in 2001, the Village |
watershed. Emphasis is placed on monitoring for adaptive management and using small diameter prescriptions that provide salvage for utilization. In 2002 Ruidoso was awarded a $585,000.00 FEMA Hazardous Fuels Reduction grant and was applied to various areas of Municipal lands. Part of this grant was a collaboration with PNM of New Mexico (public utilities) to reduce fuels and ignition sources along 25 miles of Village right-of-way including both single phase and triple phase electric conductors. In addition, more than 2500 acres of private lands have been treated with assistance from NM State Forestry’s cost-share program. This program is NFP funded and is implemented through the Western Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program where New Mexico competes with eleven other western states. Hundreds of projects on private land in Ruidoso and Lincoln County have utilized more than one million dollars funded by this program. Another million dollars of hazardous fuels reduction, and defensible space projects is currently being implemented. |
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