safety & crime prevention

New Game Warden
(Posted 7-5-06) We have had some problems with poaching in our area, so it's a good idea to keep the name and number of our game warden close at hand. If you would like to report a poacher or just have a question about hunting or fishing regulations, Mark Bundren is the man to call. He is the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish District Officer, and he will be glad to hear from you. You can contact Mark at work at (505) 778-5198, or through the dispatcher at (505) 827-9376

To obtain useful and current information about wildfires during the fire season the following two web sites are very informative. Daily updates are given about specific fires in the area.

The Southwest Area Wildland Fire Operations website is an interagency site maintained by the Southwest Coordination Center in Albuquerque, NM. It is designed to provide general fire information for the public and to serve as a source of fire intelligence for the wildland fire community. The Southwest Area includes State and Federal land management agencies in ARIZONA and NEW MEXICO.

The National Interagency Fire Center also gives wildland fire updates.

Fire safety- According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a good fire-wise landscape can increase a home's chance of surviving a wildfire by 90 percent. Following are a few of the basic guidelines for a fire-wise landscape as recommended by the NFPA and other members of the National Wildland/Urban Interface Protection Program:

Clear a 30-foot safety zone around your home. Clear brush, dead leaves & grass from around your house. If your house is located on a slope, you may need to clear out up to 100 feet. All plantings in this area should be fire resistant, low-growing & well irrigated. Maintain your defensible space. Rake up dead leaves and needles regularly. Don't let them accumulate under bushes or groundcovers. Also keep your roof and gutters free of leaves or pine needles.

Consult local experts on fire resistant plants. Check with your county extension agent, state forester or knowledgeable landscaper for help identifying fire-resistant plants. In areas prone to wildfires, local fire officials may also be able to help. Thin selectively in outlying areas. Away from the house you should thin selectively to reduce fuels and remove an highly flammable vegetation, such as sagebrush and juniper.

Prune the lower limbs of trees. Remove branches within 6 feet of the ground. This can help keep ground fires from spreading to treetops. Also remove dead branches from all trees near your home. Keep your woodpile at least 30 feet away from the house.

Carefully space the trees and shrubs you plant. These should be at least 10 feet apart to help prevent the spread of fire. Use driveways and gravel walkways as fuel breaks. Consider alternatives to wooden structures -- such as fences, decks and trellises -- that can give fire a direct path to your home. Options include terraces, brick walls & wire mesh fencing. For more information about fire-wise landscaping, go to www.firewise.org.

Crime prevention- The fact that Timberlake Ranch is a very rural setting is one of it's positive aspects to people who have purchased property and/or built homes there. However, the size of the lots and the limited number of full-time residents, along with less law enforcement presence than in our cities, does present concerns to seasonal homeowners or full-time residents who leave for vacations or other reasons. Many communities have initiated "Neighborhood Watch" programs where neighbors are urged to keep an eye out for anything unusual in the neighborhood and report suspicious activities to local law enforcement. Unfortunately, a number of landowners at Timberlake Ranch, have experienced burglaries of their residence or thefts from their property.

Every year there are a few instances of attempted, and successful, break-ins and sometimes vandalism. Crimes are not restricted to the big city. Some of our homeowners have recruited neighbors or friends to keep an eye on their properties when they are gone. Let your neighbor know when you are going to be gone, then reciprocate in kind when he needs your help. If you should see suspicious activity, be a nosy neighbor, call the resident or make an inquiry. And, if you should experience a burglary or theft, immediately call 911 to report it. Establish a "Buddy" system and be security conscious.
--Perry Cole