Fire Mitigation
Most Recent Report:
WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. TRLA successfully completed thinning of 10 acres of commons adjacent to Yucca
Dr. and was reimbursed for approximately 70% of the cost. Hop Canyon did the work
over a 2-
2. The state forestry is offering to let us again use the FHI grant for 20 acres of commons this year, continuing on from the section of the commons behind the lots on cottonwood loop and Aspen loop which will cost about $1500 per acre. This will be to create a heavy thinning of an approximately 100 foot wide strip between landowner properties and the Cibola National forest. The area of the commons beyond the 100 feet would be a medium thinning with the slash being chipped instead of being hauled to the burn pile. The work would take place in the fall so this money would need to be available in next year’s budget.
3. 1 TRLA lot owner has completed thinning of their lot using the states FHI program. Two more landowners should get approved to participate in the grant program this year. The FHI grant money is limited so the state is only able to offer this to a small number of landowners in TRLA each year.
4. The wildfire committee supports the intention of the common lands as a healthy wild forest for hikers and horse riders of Timberlake. We recommend using the New Mexico state forest management plan written specifically for Timberlake subdivision, and using only authorized and insured tree cutters who can administer the plan that TRLA purchased, to cut and remove trees under the supervision of state foresters. The plan was written to preserve the health and safety of the forest including animal habitat. We do not recommend unauthorized vehicles as they are damaging to the forest. We hope the board can create and publish a policy to protect the health and beauty of the common land, for all of Timberlake.
5. The committee may also need a small amount of money for a mailing to landowners
if we are able to get more grant money for lot wildfire mitigation. This would be
targeted to landowners that have high-
6. It might be good to post the Timberlake Subdivision Stewardship Plan to the TRLA website where it would be available to anyone who would like to read it.
1. Mission Statement
TRLA FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
Timberlake subdivision is designated as at a very high risk of a devastating crown wildfire because of unhealthy and overgrown forests. We will continually research and recommend interventions that decrease the risk of a wildfire in the Timberlake subdivision. Through Forest Health education and institution of specific projects Wildfire Mitigation is an intrinsic part of the duties and responsibilities of every landowner and of the TRLA Board of Directors.
2. Firewise Your Home/Property
09-
Remember to Firewise your homes and properties. View the Firewise Training Flyer.
Whether one has an established home or are planning to build please learn how to prepare your home for wildfires through Firewise practices.
1. Read the literature distributed by Firewise USA:
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-
The pamphlet entitled “Prepare Your Home for Wildfires” is free and copies are available in the Library at the Ranch House.
2. Remember a driveway entrance should be 18-
3. Ensure there is adequate room to turn a fire engine around near your home so that the fire truck can easily exit. If the crew determines that they cannot safely exit your property in the event of a wildfire they will not enter the property to fight the fire.
Contact one of the following Fire Mitigation Sub-
Ron & Rachel Schali – 1-
3. Alerts
July 24, 2019
Dear TRLA landowners:
The Wildfire Mitigation project is moving forward rapidly, with
roadside clearing of ladder fuels already underway.
The next phase is to find resources
to start reducing our huge wildfire fuel loads and improve the health of the forest
throughout the 7000 acre Ranch. Major sources of potential funds are Federally-
Time
is of the essence as the deadline for submission is early September. The Forester,
Tom Marks, will begin his survey the week of August 5th. A major part of the survey
is the lot walk-
It will take all of
us working together to improve our forest health and protect Timberlake from a fate
such as that of Paradise CA. All of us will benefit from reducing the high risk of
fire and/or beetle infestation we currently face.
Sincerely,TRLA Wildfire Mitigation
Committee.
CRITICAL TIME SENSITIVE INFORMATION
Video About how one community’s actions to prepare for Wildfire stopped the 416 Fire
4. Grants Applications/Other Forms
Home Hazard Assessment Worksheet
New Mexico Forest Health Initiative -
5 Links to Internet Resources
News link for Fire Adapted Communities New Mexico website is
https://facnm.org/news-
ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF SOUTHWESTERN PONDEROSA PINE ECOSYSTEMS: A BROAD PERSPECTIVE
Ponderosa Pine (file hosted on TRNEWS web site)
Read the literature distributed by Firewise USA:
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-
2018 draft of McKinley County CSPP (Community Wildfire Protection Plan)
https://forestguild.org/Documents/CWPP/McKinley2018/McKinley_Cty_CWPP_Draft_5-
After the Fire: Low Cost Flooding and Erosion Mitigation Strategies
https://facnm.org/news/2019/8/13/after-
Grants links
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SFD/RFPs/RFPMain.html
https://www.nmcounties.org/wp-
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SFD/ForestMgt/ForestStewardship.html
6. Vendor Lists
STATE-
1. Ramah Navajo Forestry, Michael Henio, 1-
2. Allen Fire LLC, 150 Gonzales Road, Edgewood, NM 87015, 1-
3. All Around Forestry, Albuquerque, Lawrence Jaramillo -
LOCAL VENDORS
The Fire Mitigation Sub-
1. Ray Martin, Martin’s Wood Services-
2. Tom Brewer, Rocky Mt. Fire & Forestry, 1-
3. Holiday Nursery, 1214 E. Aztec Avenue, Gallup, NM 87301, John Kilgore, owner,
1-
4. Mike Lipka (landowner) 1-
Stephen and JoAnn Green (landowner), 1-
7. Sub-
FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. Grant opportunities are still on hold. We are hopeful grants will be available in the fall.
2. 2021-
3. Ray Martins finished trimming on Fox and took slash to the burn pile.
4. Notified Don Oulette that there are overhanding limbs on parts of Yucca, Cottonwood, and Aspen.
5. Todd Haines, Forest Service and Yolynda Begay, Mt. Taylor District Ranger, will be invisted to the Annual Meeting. Yolynda would be able to provide an update on the fuel break project that we requested for the east side of Timberlake. It is our understanding that the project is going to be funded in the near future.
6. We would like to reserve the table in the library for the annual meeting for our forest health & fire safety materials as well as emergency information.
7. We need a drawer in the Office to keep our Committee materials.
8. Once the new year begins Ron would like to talk to the new Communications Committee person and Wayne Ramm about a new link on the website that would include articles on forest health and fire safety. Julie Farrell should also represent the Volunteer Fire Dept. We feel that the link needs to be easier for landowners, especially all the new landowners, to find quick answers to their questions (ie: width of driveways, defensible space zones around homes, etc).
9. If anyone would like to volunteer to take my place on the Committee, please contact Ron or Rachel Schali at mister.schali@gmail.com or Rachel.schali@gmail.com.
FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. Grant opportunities – Todd Haines just told Ron that funds in the spring are
not going to be available, so hopefully, we can get something in the fall pertaining
to FHI grants for landowners as well as for the 80-
2. We applied for the $500 State Farm grant again this spring. However, we were denied. CA received 42% of the grants which is not surprising because of the number and severity of their fires. Oregon received 15% and Colorado received 12%. 24 States received funding.
3. Budget request for next year = $5,000 for normal thinning on side roads including
overhanging areas. In order to complete the 80-
4. Yolynda Begay, Mt. Taylor District Ranger notified Mary Jo that there were four
types of buffer zones that we could consider on the 80-
5. Yolynda Begay also indicated that they are talking with the State on restoration projects and that Timberlake is on the agenda. A CE (Categorical Exclusion) will be provided to comply with NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) regs. A CE is the lowest level of analysis and also means that there is no significant effect on the human environment. Neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required. The fact that we provided the Forest Stewardship Plan was a great benefit. Talks should begin this summer. This concerns our request for a fuel break on the eastern boundary of Timberlake and the Forest. I invited Yolynda to the Annual Meeting assuming it is held this year.
6. NMSU (New Mexico State University is sponsoring four zoom meetings during March – Learning to Live with Fire. Notices were put on the website and the FB page.
Ray Martins plans to finish trimming on Fox next week if weather permits.
FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. Grant opportunities – we have researched several opportunities and the best one seems to be the FHI to begin the Commons mitigation. The Committee had a zoom meeting with Clay Benton on 1/26/2021. We will start talking to contractors about submitting bids after we get the final prescription from Clay Benton. Todd Haines and Clay Benton recently gave us a list of seven more vendors to consider.
2. Chipper Day was held on 11/12/2020. Ramah Navajo crew ended up sending out three trucks/trailers with 9 guys to pick up all the brush on the 4 landowner lots that were scheduled for the day’s work. Their chipper broke down. All landowners were happy with the work that was done.
3. Mary Jo spoke to Yolynda Begay, Mt. Taylor District Ranger on 2/5/2021. Yolynda
hopes to hear back in either March or June about the viability of the fuel break
project on north/east side of Timberlake. She also requested that a surveyor come
out to mark the boundaries on the west side of Timberlake before we begin mitigation
on the 80-
4. Mary Jo participated in two webinars. A FAC Leader meeting was held on 12/2/2020
with seven participants. We discussed current problems (like our failure to obtain
a fiscal agent for the AIM grant), Vision and Goals for the Leaders, Schedule for
bi-
5. Of the seven landowners who applied for FHI grants last fall, two landowners backed out, one was not approved because the lot was already in good shape, work has been completed on one lot and two landowners are doing the work themselves and one landowner has not decided to proceed yet but appears to be interested in pursuing this spring/summer.
6. Mitigation Workshops -
7. The survey also indicated that 30 landowners were interested in grants. We are in the process of contacting these landowners so that we can provide the information to State Forestry when FHI grants are available again.
8. Ray Martins has been contacted about completing the work on Fox sometime this spring.
9. Link to a NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) FB event concerning lowering community wildfire risk was put on the TRLA website and FB page. Event is at noon on 2/23/2021.
10. Mitigation articles will be sent to Nancy Ramm by the end of the month for the March newsletter.
FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. AIM-
2. Chipper Day is scheduled for November although Mike Henio still has not given me an exact date. We have four people signed up. If the Ramah Navajo crew would have time leftover, we will have them chip some of the brush under the power lines that has been piled up for several years. 1 ½ to 2 hours will be allotted at each location.
3. Articles will be prepared for the next Timberlake newsletter.
FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. AIM-
a. On 9/17 we are attending a webinar about the AIM Fall 2020 grant application. Deadline to submit another application is October 8, 2020.
2. Ray Martins finished trimming ladder fuels on Roadrunner and Fox. except at the end of Roadrunner where a landowner asked that he not trim along his lot for privacy reasons.
3. Survey results: Only one more survey was received since last month’s report., so there was a total of 67 surveys received. We have responded to all landowners who had specific questions on the survey. Burn pile usage should double over last year, which is a positive thing. We will keep a list of landowners who want grant and risk assessments and will contact them when available next year. Next spring/summer we will also determine what workshops can be held. Defensive zone training and chainsaw training were the top two requested.
4. Chipper Day is still on hold because of COVID-
FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. AIM-
a. We intend to research what other areas in the State are considered at higher risk than Timberlake since the CWPP’s for both McKinley & Cibola indicate we are at extremely high risk.
b. We will pursue other grants that become available. If nothing is approved by next March, we would like to go ahead and start mitigation in the Commons with the $15,000 that was approved by the Board.
2. Clay Benton, Forest Service, surveyed two more properties on 7/21. One lot did not qualify. We are waiting to hear which properties will be approved.
3. Ron will talk to Ray Martins about thinning another mile of side roads (Fox and Roadrunner).
4. Survey results: See attached worksheet with results with grand totals on the last two pages. We will respond to all landowners who have a specific question. In the next month we will review all comments and come up with specific suggestions, ie: setting up workshops since 21 people expressed an interest. We encourage the Board to review all the comments and suggestions. We are pleased with getting 66 responses indicating there is interest in mitigation, workshops, etc. An article will be prepared for the fall newsletter.
5. Chipper Day is still on hold because of COVID-
FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. AIM Pre-
2. Clay Benton, Forest Service, came out on 7/14 & 7/15 and surveyed seven properties for FHI grants (Forest Health Initiative). Two more will be done on 7/21. Prescriptions will be prepared and then landowners can decide if they want to pursue mitigation. As of today, we do not know how much funding will be available, but lots must have visible infestation to be considered.
3. Clay Benton also walked the Commons area between Aspen & Yucca and his prescription is attached to this report. (Document name is Commons_Thinning_Clay.docx).
4. Ray Martin completed ladder fuel thinning on Pine Tree and Sagebrush in June. We intend to wait on the rest of the project. From the $5,000 in the budget we already spent $963.31 for printing and mailing out the brochures. If the AIM grant is approved, we will need to pay the fiscal agent a 4% fee ($1,230 + gross receipts tax if applicable). The balance would be used for ladder fuel thinning on the sideroads.
5. The two-
6. Mitigation articles were included in the July TRLA newsletter and Code Red and webinar information has been posted on the Timberlake Ranch FB and TRLA website.
7. Ron and Mary Jo met with Robert Kuipers, Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments about the AIM grant. He also gave us a Project Feasibility Form to address the BIA road maintenance problems. He works on a lot of infrastructure projects for both counties and was optimistic in being able to provide us some assistance, which we will pursue in the next few weeks.
8. Chipper Day is still on hold because of COVID-
Thinning
Contractors shall selectively thin pinyon pine, Juniper, and ponderosa pine. Tree
selection shall be centered on second tier intermediate ladder fuels to prevent crown
fire in ponderosa pine. Contractors shall thin all understory trees occurring within
drip line of Ponderosa pine. Residual basal area shall achieve an average of 50-
Slash
Slash may be treated by one of three methods: Lop and scatter, chip, or piled in a central location. Landowner shall have final say on what method of slash disposal is to be used. For the purpose of this prescription slash will be defined as and woody material less than 4” diameter.
Chip: chipping shall be the main method of slash disposal; contractors may choose to chip on greater than 20% slopes with approval from landowner. All chips shall be less than 2” in depth in any given location. All chips shall be pulled back outside the drip line of all ‘leave’ trees. Chips shall not be spread into or under leave trees.
Haul and pile: selective slash shall be hauled and piled to a central location at Timberlake Subdivision. Contractors shall not be responsible for burning centralized slash.
Lop and Scatter: Contractors may lop and scatter slash on greater 20% slopes with
prior approval from landowner. When scattering slash shall be withing 12”-
Project manager will predetermine units of slash treatment and work with contractors to implement slash management.
Firewood
For the purpose of this prescription firewood shall be defined as any bole of wood greater than 4” in diameter. Contractors shall stack firewood outside dripline of ‘leave’ trees, in full sunlight, and in no larger than one cord stacks. Firewood shall be left on project site unless project manager approves another location.
Implementation
Contractors shall target encroaching understory fuels for preventative wildfire
measure. All ladder fuel pinyon and juniper shall be removed. Thick stands of ponderosa
pine shall be thinned to meet average basal area with occasional clumps. Contractors
may choose to thin any species to meet basal area after ladder fuels are reduced.
Implementation should consider health and vigor of leave trees. Poor form trees,
infested or diseased, and genetic forked trees shall be thinned prior to good form
trees to meet basal average. Contractors should attempt to leave a variable size
class of all leave species to diversify age class within the stand. Any ponderosa
extending over 24” in diameter shall be left unless extenuating circumstances determine
otherwise. Project manager shall be notified and have final decision on falling 24”+
diameter trees. Contractors shall strive to leave a majestic tree of any species.
Majestic trees shall be defined as: any tree with noticeably greater diameter than
that of the same species around it. Contractors shall strive to leave 2-
FOREST RESTORATION & WILDFIRE MITIGATION SUB-
1. Chipper Day has still not been rescheduled because of COVID-
2. Ray Martin should complete the ½ mile of sideroads that he is presently working on by next weekend (Sagebrush).
3. A total of 12 landowners have expressed an interest in the FHI (Forest Health Initiative) grants that should become available again in August/September. Clay Benton should start assessing property in July. New forest guidelines have been put into effect: there must be visible infestation of some sort (ie: bark beetle, dwarf mistletoe). Each project is limited to 10 acres.
4. Tom Marks, Consulting Forester, spoke with the Mt. Taylor District Ranger about our request for a fuel break on the Northeastern wildland urban interface boundary between the Cibola National Forest and Timberlake. He indicated the conversation was optimistic and our request should be added to the Forest Service’s Schedule of Actions.
5. We prepared a two-
6. We prepared an application for a 50/50 fuel reduction program grant thru an organization
out of Colorado (Action, Implementation & Mitigation (AIM) Program) to begin work
on the 80 acres of Common Land. Timberlake could not directly apply for the grant.
The Forest Stewards Guild agreed to be the fiscal agent after McKinley County denied
our request since they are short staffed because of COVID-
REPORT AS OF MAY 23, 2020
1. Obtaining bids from Ray Martin’s Wood Services and All Around Forestry for the completion of the side road ladder fuel project which is approximately 3 miles (map is available to the Board) as well as the Commons area.
2. We verified with Steve Stevens that there is $2,306 left in this year’s mitigation
budget, so Ray Martin has said he would be able to do that amount of road clean-
3. Home Hazard Assessment Worksheet from the Forest Stewards Guild was provided to the Board for the Welcome packet. This form provides a lot of helpful information, ie: width of driveway entrance for fire trucks, site and structure hazards. Also posted on TRLA website under Fire Mitigation and will be provided as handouts whenever landowner meetings are opened up.
4. Notice concerning the Home Ignition Zone Webinar for May 12th was posted on the Timberlake Ranch website, FB site and the Timberlake newsletter. Key points will be included in the next newsletter.
5. Follow-
6. Nine Timberlake landowners filled out the CWPP survey. Forest Guild complimented us on our participation.
7. FAC (Fire Adapted Community Leader) profile for Ron Schali was posted on the Forest Stewards Guild website, our website, and the Timberlake FB site. A primary responsibility of an FAC Leader is to share resources/success stories with other members/leaders around the State to help reduce wildfire risk.
8. Renewed annual membership with the Forest Stewards Guild (good thru 6/2021).
9. Work was completed May 16th on three FHI grants that were approved last fall.
10. Two more landowner FHI applications were submitted to the Forest Service Guild on May 19th. Total that will be under consideration whenever grant funds are available again are 11. Clay Benton, Forest Service, will try to start assessments in July.
11. We are going to prepare an educational packet for all landowners with information on forest health, fire mitigation, defensible space, contractor information, home hazard assessment worksheet, etc. (by June Board meeting).
12. We also are working on ideas to get more landowner involvement (by June Board meeting).
REPORT AS OF APRIL 18, 2020
1. State Farm Grant/Wildfire Preparedness Day
a. $500 Grant check was received. Because of the coronavirus, the May 2nd Chipper Day will most likely be deferred to a later date. A notice will be put on the website.
2. Mitigation was recently performed on two lots that received FHI approval last fall. The chipping part of the projects should be performed in May.
3. Ron Schali participated in a Leader Profile Blog with the Forest Stewards Guild on April 15th.
4. Letter was sent to Yolynda Begay, Acting Mount Taylor District Ranger on April 14th. On behalf of the Timberlake community we requested that a fuel break project along the Northeastern wildland urban interface boundary between the Cibola National Forest and the Timberlake Ranch subdivision be added to the U.S. Forest Service’s Schedule of Proposed Actions.
Respectfully submitted by the Forest Restoration & Wildfire Mitigation Sub-
REPORT AS OF MARCH 21, 2020
1. Grants -
a. State Farm grant of $500 was approved. Ramah Navajo Forestry will work from 9:30 to 4 p.m. on May 2nd, Wildfire Preparedness Day with their chipper. Education part of the schedule for that day will be determined after we have the chipper schedule set.
2. Potential Matching Grants that require a commitment from the Board.
a. NM Counties Grant – grants up to $15,000 with a 10% cost share ($1,500) from Timberlake. Before we can apply, we need to know what the Board will approve for working on Commons. Missed deadline for this year.
b. EMNRD -
3. Forest Service Guild Risk Assessments – haven’t been notified as to how many will be available this year. We did submit the four new ones and waiting on one landowner to submit his application.
4. Newsletter articles – submitted for the March newsletter and have included on the website.
We appreciate the Board’s consideration to support the Forest Restoration and Fire Mitigation projects that are needed in order to help protect our community from forest fires.
Respectfully submitted by the Forest Restoration & Wildfire Mitigation Sub-
Timberlake Subdivision Forestry Management Plan Recommendations
Developing a Management Plan -
1. Management Recommendation, Partnerships – The Timberlake Ranch Subdivision should
consider entering into a partnership with NM State Forestry and the USDA Forest Service
to propose a project to improve wildlife habitat and forest health within the acres
of ponderosa pine, mountain meadow, and pinyon-
2. Management Recommendation, Reduce Fire and Safety Risks
a. Ramah Lake serves as a fire break along with the short grasses and other vegetation found around the reservoir and old Ranch House area. Consider a small offset disk plow, mastication or prescribed burning treatments to keep larger vegetation (big sage and rubber rabbit brush) under control. There are several properties along the Timberlake South reservoir front that appear to have disked they’re properties into manageable (less risk of fire) grasslands.
b. I’m concerned about the heavy ground fuels found in Togeye Canyon where Timberlake
road is located from Highway 53 to the front gate of Timberlake Ranch. This road
is the only way in or out of the Ranch and the heavy fuel loads (large decadent vegetation)
along the road pose a safety risk to Ranch property owners (as well as emergency
personnel) trying to escape should a fire break out in the canyon. The road right
of way is located through several property ownerships including BIA, Private and
BLM. Depending on the weather and condition of the road surface, Cibola County blades
this road twice a year. Consider Identifying property owners and petition to seek
vegetation management options to masticate plow or burn portions of the large decadent
vegetation found between the road and the cliffs to the north of Timberlake road
to create a safety zone for vehicle traffic in the event of a fire emergency. An
alternative to this is to consider plowing (offset disk or grader) road side bare
soil strips once a year to provide safe passage for vehicles should a fire occur
in the canyon if the right of way easement width allows access.
3. Management Recommendation -
4. Management Recommendation – include dwarf mistletoe identification and removal for all species in all future thinning prescriptions.
5. Management Recommendations: Modify as appropriate; thinning Rx's to reflect on-
6. Management Recommendations: On slopes of 15% or greater, leave larger long-
7. Management Recommendation: Consider leaving lop and scatter slash in some of the common areas steeper slopes if thinned. Consider pile burning on properties to return nutrients back to the soil but to also spur native grasses and forbs to become established.
8. Management Recommendation:
o The Subdivision should consider prescribed fire in the common areas and around Ramah Lake as weather conditions and comfort levels allow.
o Snags play a role in providing roosting trees, bird cavity nesting, and woodpecker habitat. My reconnaissance showed a majority of dead trees that I came across were being cut for firewood. I understand not wanting a dead tree (snag) near a house but I would encourage owners to leave large dead trees that are located away from any structures or roads.
9. Management Recommendation: The Subdivision should consider looking for locations to build wildlife drinkers and tanks.
10. Management Recommendation -
11. Management Recommendation -
12. Management Recommendation -
13. Management Recommendation -
REPORT AS OF 2/29/2020
Since our Committee was formed over a year ago, we have learned a lot about forest
health and fire mitigation. As a result, we changed our name to reflect this broader
view to include “Forest Restoration”. As more landowners become involved, we are
becoming a “Fire Adapted Community” consisting of informed and prepared citizens
collaboratively planning and acting to safely coexist with wildland fire. Finding
solutions to reducing wildfire risk must be on-
The Committee recently presented a five-
Last fall, Thomas Marks, Contract Forester, prepared a very extensive Forest Stewardship
Plan for Timberlake. This plan needed to be prepared in order to apply for future
grants. Thirteen management recommendations are summarized in the Fire Mitigation
section on the TRLA website under #7 Sub-
Ron Schali and Mary Jo Wallen have been named FAC Leaders (Fire Adapted Community Leaders) thru the Forest Stewardship Guild. In addition to being able to share ideas and success stories with other Leaders throughout the State, we are supposed to be given extra consideration for grant opportunities.
Please check the website for up-
Our Committee members are: Tim & Eileen Domer, Ron & Rachel Schali, Mary Jo Wallen and Shirl Henderson as our Board Rep. Contact us if you have questions or suggestions. If we all work together, a greater impact can be achieved to protect our homes, trees and landscaping around us.
UPDATE AS OF 2/26/2020
A planning meeting was held on February 26th in Grants. Ron Schali and Mary Jo Wallen represented Timberlake. The Cibola CWPP had not been updated since 2006 and Timberlake was not recognized in the previous report. As a result of increased communications with Cibola County and the survey which I hope you filled out, we are now officially recognized as a “high risk area” on their maps.
Another meeting will be held in May and we will provide the date on the website when it is set. The Plan will be finalized in May and then submitted to the New Mexico State Forestry in June. The State will then have six months to review the plan.
Of the nine priority fuel reduction projects in the County, Timberlake is mentioned as a high priority in the WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) areas of Timberlake and El Morro ranches. Priority Actions include: Community Involvement, Reducing Structural Ignitability, Fire Responders & Equipment, Evacuation Planning, Communication and Water Resource Protection.
Thirty-
One major priority that was identified is to improve radio communications and remove dead spots. We intend to pursue the availability of a loud alarm system that could be heard at least 3 miles from our Volunteer Fire Dept.
The most exciting news from the meeting is that Cibola County has finally opened
up discussions with the BIA about the BIA road maintenance, which as we know is non-
On a funny note, while we were discussing the problem of our “one-
Ron and I also met Bob Kuipers, Council of Governments, Gallup, NM. He indicated he is a grant writer and can help us in the future.
TRLA FIRE MITIGATION SUB-
JULY 20, 2019
1. Ray Martin, Martin’s Wood Services has completed work on Halcon, Bluebird (cliffside of Timberlake Road) and Conejo between Halcon and Bluebird. Approximately 5.5 miles still needs to be completed in Zone 1. Ray has been paid for 1 mile of Zone 1 work.
a. Question to Steve Wills, may we please have a signed copy of Martin contract for our files? Also, was the Additional Insured Certificate received from Ray Martin?
b. May 28t, 2019 letter sent out to obtain bids indicated that partial payment would be made at the completion of each section. Is Martin being paid by the section or by the mile?
2. On July 17, we met with Peter Allen, Allen Fire LLC , who is a certified wildfire mitigation expert and a State contractor with NM. He is starting his own mitigation/forest management business and was recommended by Todd Haines, District Forester for our part of NM. We toured the ranch to assess the scale of the problem. He agrees we have a heavy fuel load issue, at high risk for a devastating fire. He will send us information on his company and a range of prices for various services he provides.
3. We met with Todd Haines on July 18, 2019 to discuss the importance of having a Management Plan developed ASAP, since this is needed in order to be eligible for the Forest Health Incentive Program for Timberlake. He referred us to Tom Marks, who works with his office, for assistance in writing the Management Plan. We hope to meet with him around the first of August since the deadline is critical (September). Approximate cost to Timberlake is $5,000 to complete the several hundred page Plan for all 7,000 acres. If we do not meet the deadline for this fall, we will lose a year. More details concerning cost sharing for landowners will be discussed at the meeting. We are respectfully asking the Board to approve this expense ASAP since it is critical to get started now.
4. Mary Jo and Ron talked to CDEC several times and Ron was finally able to get Mark
Bahls, CDEC, to agree to have their sub-
5. Fire Mitigation updates have been put on the website and in the July newsletter. An update will also be provided at the July 23rd, Watch Group Meeting.
FIRE MITIGATION COMMITTEE UPDATE – JUNE 20, 2019
Mary Jo Wallen and Eileen Domer
At the annual meeting on May 25th, the committee provided educational handouts describing
ways to protect our homes and property. These will also be available at our Annual
Watch Group Meeting on July 23rd at the Ranch House at 6 pm and at the Tuesday Library
Days. You can contact Mary Jo Wallen at 1-
We are pleased that the TRLA Board budgeted $10,000 to begin fire mitigation along 10 miles of side roads in Timberlake. Ray Martin won the bid to start trimming ladder fuels. The goal is to complete this project before the chain saw restrictions begin.
We hope that through education and institution of specific projects Wildfire Mitigation will become an intrinsic part of the duties and responsibilities of every landowner and of the TRLA Board of Directors. Timberlake is designated as very high risk of a devasting crown wildfire. The Committee will continue researching the possibility of obtaining grants to help landowners mitigate their property.
Please contact Ron or Rachel Schali (505-
1. Helping an elderly or disabled person with cutting brush and taking the brush to the burn pile.
2. If you need help, let us know what type of assistance you need.
3. If you would want to “chip in to rent a chipper”. You would have to have the brush already cut and properly positioned to maximize the rental time of the chipper.
4. If you want to have a risk assessment done around your home.
During the annual meeting we discussed the reasons why we should all participate
in this on-
Adam Berry, Emergency Mgt Coordinator, Gallup, and Dustin Middleton, Fire Marshal/Emergency
Manager from Grants gave a brief presentation supporting the Emergency Evacuation
Guidelines that we recently drafted. They appreciated the fact that Timberlake is
being pro-
The 5/23/2019 Emergency Evacuation & Neighborhood Watch Group Guidelines will be posted in the Emergency area of our website. Please also see the Fire Mitigation Committee's March newsletter.
Fire Restrictions, Fire Alerts, and Safety Related Items
Resources:
Dial 911 for Emergencies -
Timberlake Volunteer Fire Department Phone:505-
Ramah Fire Department phone: 505-
New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department-
Timberlake Ranch Fire Alert -
The Timberlake Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire on Quail Road today,
March 9, 2016. Unfortunately, the fire appeared to have been started intentionally.
Please be aware and report whenever you might be suspicious of a fire; such as smoke
in the sky or smelling smoke in the air. Do not assume that it’s a campfire or someone’s
fireplace. Please contact either Andy Wilson (783-
Sincere thanks to Nancy Dobbs for reporting the fire and to Bill Wolford, George Dobbs, Wayne Ramm, and Mike Henderson for putting the fire out. It is nice to see neighbors coming together to handle such situations.
Steven Wills
TRLA President
Email: scw@hughes.net
Home Phone: (505)783-
