Jackpot Burning Begins North of Taos

Fire crews began jackpot burning between San Cristobal and Arroyo Hondo, treating 800 acres today. They’ll return Oct. 18 for more planned ignitions.

Jackpot burning is when fire crews target concentrations (or “jackpots”) of fuels, like clusters of downed branches, throughout an area. Jackpots can be naturally-occurring or, as in this case, the result of thinning-related activities when materials are lopped and scattered instead of piled.

Jackpots like these are often treated during an understory burn, where fire spreads throughout a broad area. But in this piñon-juniper woodland, there are no carrier fuels, like continuous dry grass, for fire to travel. As seen in this photo, any grass has too much fuel moisture to easily ignite and bunches of grass are separated by areas of dirt.  That’s why crew members walk jackpot to jackpot, igniting each.

An interactive map of the prescribed fire area and more information is available online.