#uteparkfire

Six months ago, I was sitting at Turkey Creek Turnaround when we were told that just a few miles down the road there was a wildfire in Ute Park. We left Turkey Creek and rerouted to the South Country, the very next day we were evacuated from the backcountry again and then base camp. In that time period I can remember being a little terrified, but ultimately calm and at peace with myself. I didn’t know at that moment that the path towards my future career had been laid. Fast forward to now and I’m working towards a job in Public Health Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Response all because of a little fire in the northeastern corner of New Mexico.

Our view of the #UteParkFire on the way to Santa Fe. #sunset always shines bright red/orange during fires! #WHPShine

The nearby fires in Ute Park are filling our skies with smoke, making the views atmospherically pretty but the air not so great to breathe. #newmexico #wildfire #uteparkfire (at El Prado, New Mexico)

Repost from @whittingtoncenter - New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez flew up from Santa Fe to meet with evacuees staying at the NRA Whittington Center. As of tonight, the @whittingtoncenter has 56 evacuees on property. Governor Martinez met with @whittingtoncenter staff and our Executive Director. She held a press conference with a couple Albuquerque news stations in our Shotgun Center, after which she left to visit evacuees in Springer, NM. #nra #utepark #uteparkfire (at NRA Whittington Center)