Single Publication

BURNED AREA EMERGENCY RESPONSE

SOUTH FORK POST-FIRE BAER
SOIL BURN SEVERITY MAP RELEASED

JULY 1, 2024

Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) specialists recently completed their data gathering and analysis for the South Fork burned area to produce a soil burned severity (SBS) map.  This map and data display categories of unburned/low, moderate, and high. Approximately 34% of the total 17,066 acres analyzed are either unburned and/or low soil burn severity, while 47% sustained a moderate soil burn severity, and only about 19% identified as high soil burn severity.

The BAER assessment team used initial remote sensing imagery with their field validated soils data, to develop and produce a map showing soil burn severity levels for the burned areas The SBS is broken into four different classes: unburned (green), low severity (blue), moderate severity (yellow), and high severity (red). For more information on what these different SBS classifications mean, see BAER Information Brief at: Nmmea South Fork And Salt Fires Burned Area Emergency Response - | InciWeb (wildfire.gov).

The BAER team relied on their refined soil burn severity map to produce data which they are using in their subsequent modeling and determination of post fire runoff and sedimentation. The BAER teams and the US Geological Survey (USGS) both utilized the soil burn severity map as an analysis tool to estimate post-fire flows and debris flow probability. In specific areas that experienced moderate to high burn severity, there could be increased runoff from steep hillslopes and resultant increases in post-fire soil erosion and potential debris flows.

The South Fork soil burn severity (SBS) and USGS Debris Flow Hazards maps can be downloaded at the South Fork and Salt BAER InciWeb site: Nmmea South Fork And Salt Fires Burned Area Emergency Response Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov) as a JPEG or PDF version under the “Maps” tab.

BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events--be prepared to act. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/abq/.