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Bernalillo County fire chief says crews are prepared for wildland season; urges residents to use Everbridge and prepare defensible space
Summary
Bernalillo County Fire Chief Greg Pettis told trustees the county has trained crews and apparatus staged for wildland response in the North Valley, urged residents to enroll in the Everbridge alert system, and said the county plans further bosque thinning and hazard assessments after recent small fires that may be arson.
Greg Pettis, fire chief and deputy county manager for public safety, briefed the Los Ranchos trustees during public comment on June 24 about wildfire readiness and current conditions near the Rio Grande bosque.
Pettis said Bernalillo County prepares year‑round for wildland season with required refresher courses and fitness testing for wildland crews and that county resources currently include an estimated 25 firefighters and roughly 25 pieces of apparatus in the North Valley, supported by additional regional assets. He estimated about 15,000 gallons of portable water were staged and ready in the area for immediate response.
The chief urged residents to download Everbridge, the county's free emergency notification app, and described ongoing collaboration with the sheriff's office on evacuation planning and animal‑movement capabilities for livestock evacuation.
Pettis said the county is planning further assessment and targeted thinning in the bosque where canopy fuels present a heightened risk. He also said recent local fires had indicators suggesting possible arson and that the county is coordinating further investigations and hazard mitigation work.
The chief encouraged residents to request a free defensible‑space assessment from county wildland coordinators, noting that even healthy trees and nearby ground fuels can create ember pathways into homes and that creating defensible space around structures reduces risk.
What happens next: County fire officials will continue hazard mapping, targeted thinning projects when funding and permits allow, and will share preparedness information with the village for distribution to residents.
