Partial, full bosque closures now in effect
Posted at: 06/29/2012 8:32 AM
| Updated at: 06/29/2012 12:00 PM
By: KOB.com staff
Parts of Albuquerque's bosque closed Friday at 8 a.m. in an attempt to prevent fires along the heavily-used open space.
Wooded areas are off limits, but people can still use trails, roads and bike paths.
The city of Albuquerque tell KOB it has upgraded patrols and crews will be flying the bosque at night looking for fires or anything suspicious activity.
The Albuquerque bosque area got a scare earlier this week after a brush fire started in a back yard near Atrisco and Central that was dangerously close to the heavily-wooded area next to the Rio Grande.
That fire, which was extinguished quickly, was caused by a beekeeper using smoke to calm bees.
Friday's closure does not affect other open space in Albuquerque, such as the foothills - but the city's police chief is asking anyone who is active outside to be careful.
"My message to our citizens again is to be fire wise, create a dependable space, remove piles of combustible vegetative material away from your home and off your property if at all possible," said Albuquerque Fire Chief James Breen.
"That way if you do have a fire, it's more controllable. If you don't manage your property properly you can have an active fire that extends into the bosque."
The bosque closure is part of a four-county effort taken by the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District to reduce exteme fire danger in the bosque.
Beginning Friday morning, the agency closed the bosque completely in Sandoval, Valencia and Socorro counties.
Stay with KOB Eyewitness News 4 as we actively follow this story Friday and throughout this time of extreme fire danger.
For information about fire restrictions in the Bosque, visit the conservancy district's home page here.
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