4/9/09
A half-acre grass fire along U.S. Highway 84/285 in Rio Chama was extinguished Sunday before it could burn any structures, according to Rio Arriba County Fire Marshal Jerome Sanchez.
“There was a garage there but we were able to stop it a good 150 feet away,” Sanchez said. “We hit it fast. I was nearby when the call came out and responded right away. Agua Sana and some Abiquiú firefighters responded and it took 20 minutes to contain.”
Cow pies had to be identified and soaked with water because they remain can hot and reignite brush fires, Sanchez noted.
“Cow pies are always our enemy,” Sanchez said. “They can be very dangerous, especially if there’s wind. When you see (persisting) smokes after a field fire, it’s often cow pies.”
The fire was reported at 4:20 p.m. The fire started on private land owned by Mike Vigil but its cause had not been determined by Tuesday, Sanchez said.
“It wasn’t a controlled burn,” Sanchez said. “I think somebody probably tossed a lit cigarette.”
Mike Vigil could not be reached for comment.