Full Notification

The following message is transmitted at the request of the New Mexico Departments of Health and Environment. Smoke from the 416 Wildfire in southwest Colorado is again expected to have significant impacts over portions of New Mexico later tonight and Tuesday morning, as is both the Sardinas Canyon Fire and Morris Creek Fire. In northwest New Mexico, smoke from the 416 Wildfire is expected to once again settle into the Animas River Valley and San Juan River Valley tonight, downriver of where the Animas River joins it. As late-night drainage or down valley winds develop, some smoke is likely to move into these areas in far northwest New Mexico. Communities where impacts could be expected include Cedar Hill, Aztec, Flora Vista, Bloomfield, Farmington, Kirtland, Waterflow and Shiprock. Anyone living in these areas should be prepared, especially between 2 am Tuesday and 10 am Tuesday, when it should lift. Near Taos, smoke from the Sardinas Canyon Fire, which is 18 miles southeast of Taos, will settle along the Rio Pueblo drainage, potentially affecting Tres Ritos, Vadito, Picuris Pueblo, and possibly Penasco from 9 pm tonight to 9 am Tuesday morning. Smoke from the Morris Creek Fire, 10 miles east of Angel Fire, which was active yesterday resulting in dense smoke down drainage this morning, is again expected to impact the communities of Rayado, Sunnyside and Miami tonight and Tuesday morning, possibly reaching as far as Springer. Since these impacts are expected to occur overnight, taking precautions such as closing windows before bedtime can protect residents with respiratory or heart disease, adults over age 65, young children, and pregnant women, if smoke concentrations becomes unhealthy. Remember, your eyes are your best tools to determine if it is safe to be outside. If visibility is: Under 5 miles, the air quality is unhealthy for young children, adults over age 65, pregnant women, and people with heart and/or lung disease, asthma or other respiratory illness. Outdoor activity should be minimized. Around 3 miles, young children, adults over age 65, pregnant women, and people with heart and/or lung disease, asthma or other respiratory illness should avoid all outdoor activities. Around 1 mile, the air quality is unhealthy for everyone. People should remain indoors and avoid all outdoor activities including running errands. Unless an evacuation has been issued, stay inside your home, indoor workplace, or in a safe shelter.

* AFFECTED AREAS: EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ... FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS ... FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS ... NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET, RED RIVER ... NORTHWEST PLATEAU ... SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET ... UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY ... WEST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS