Author Archive

Conifer die-off increases threat of wildfire

Farmingont Daily Times: In the past few years, New Mexico has experienced huge, record-breaking fires in both the Jemez Mountains and the Gila National Forest. Big fires haven’t hit the Sandia district of the Cibola National Forest to the east of Albuquerque. But thousands of acres of dead conifer trees pose a hazard. That’s because after the trees die and dry out, they provide fuel for wildfires. Silviculturists like the Sandia District’s Shawn Martin practice a specialty within forestry, managing forest health by paying...