Although spring has just barely begun, fire personnel across Valencia County are already into fire season and responding to wildland fires.
Valencia County Fire Chief Matt Propp said the beginning of fire season is typically when higher fire behavior risk can be anticipated due to increasing temperatures and winds and decreasing humidity.
“Conditions that basically makes an opportunity for rapidly progressing fires, particularly in areas with brush, grass and trees,” Propp said. “As we get into summer, the hot winds dry up ground fuels super quick. So now we have dry fuel on the ground and it only takes a small fire that runs into something larger, a bosque fire for example.” This is the time of year when homeowners begin cleaning up their properties after the winter doldrums, and Propp said there are precautions they should take.