Frijoles Fire burn scar raises concerns over flooding

The Frijoles Fire in Santa Fe County remains over 62 percent contained, with more than 15,000 acres burned, but concerns are growing about the impact of the burn scar on flooding and water quality.

Ron Gallegos, chair of the Santa Cruz Irrigation District, explained that burn scars leave areas stripped of vegetation, causing rainwater to slide down mountainsides instead of being absorbed into the soil.

“The roots and vegetation keep [the dirt] intact, so once you lose the roots through fire, it’s like dust,” Gallegos said. “You can get a handful of dust, blow it away.”

He added that heavy rain could lead to flash flooding, which would cause runoff.

This runoff often includes debris flow—a mix of ash, mud, rocks, and trees—that can pollute water sources.

Polluted runoff could harm fish and other wildlife, and in some cases, cause skin irritation for humans.

“The fish would suffer,” Gallegos said. “Anything that would be drinking from it or something that’s habitat inside of it.”

To mitigate these risks, Gallegos says the U.S. Forest Service is working to build channels to catch runoff before it reaches major water sources.

“Like a ladder, it comes down and starts sifting itself. By the time it gets down to the river, it has kind of cleaned itself out,” Gallegos said.

While some sediment runoff is inevitable, Gallegos noted that barriers could limit the amount of wildfire ash flowing into water sources. However, since the fire is still burning, these channels are not yet fully constructed.

Gallegos emphasized that the situation is not a major concern unless heavy rainfall occurs, but a strong monsoon could pose significant challenges.

“If it does rain really bad and there’s flash flooding, that’s when we’re really concerned because that’s when it’s going to come in really, really full force,” he said.

For now, the focus remains on completing runoff barriers before the next heavy rainfall.