14-03-2025
Wildfire prevention bills make their way through the Roundhouse
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – After the most destructive wildfire in state history devastated the Ruidoso area this past summer, lawmakers are pushing legislation to protect New Mexico communities from future fires. A bipartisan bill, SB 33, is making its way through the legislative session, which would create a program for wildfire prevention.
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Lawmakers sponsoring the bill say the next big fire is coming and we need to be ready. 'Wildfires are a part of New Mexico history, they are here to stay. It's not a matter of if but when the next wildfire will occur,' said Representative Anita Gonzales (D-Las Vegas).
In the last three years, New Mexico has had two of its largest wildfires ever, the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire near Las Vegas in 2022, and the South Fork Fire in Ruidoso in 2024. Now, lawmakers are proposing legislation to help prevent the same scale of destruction in at-risk areas.
The Wildfire Prepared Act is a bipartisan Senate bill, that aims to create a task force made up of experts who will identify high-risk areas, plan out tree thinning, and create buffer zones to protect homes. 'They make this to where our local firefighters can get in there and do good work and pull some of the fuels out to where they're not burning as intense as they normally do,' said Representative Harlan Vincent, (R-Ruidoso Downs).
The bill also creates a program offering grants to property owners for structural changes to make their homes and businesses more fire-resistant. 'A big concern right now for my area as well as others that have been impacted is insurance, home insurance, business insurance, and just the availability of it. and the best way to do that is to reduce risk so that insurance will come back to the table,' said Rep. Gonzales.
On Thursday, two other bills were debated in committee dealing with buffer zones to curb wildfire spread (HB 175) and funding for fire suppression & preparedness (HB 191), both advancing unanimously. Representative Anita Gonzales says this shows lawmakers are putting this issue at the forefront.
'Just making our state wildfire ready, building preparedness and just making sure that we're on the right path so that what happened to my community can be mitigated for any other community in the future,' said Rep. Gonzales.
'We all learned from our lessons, and this is a lesson learned and what we're trying to do is just get better,' said Rep. Vincent.
The Wildfire Prepared Act needs to clear one more committee and the House floor before heading to the governor's desk. The bill would take effect immediately to help the state prepare for the upcoming fire season.
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