Water Canyon Fire

Wildfire in New Mexico, United States

Water Canyon Fire

Date(s)| June 1954
Location| Jemez Mountains, New Mexico
Statistics
Total area| 3,000–6,000 acres (12–24 km2)
Ignition
Cause| Burning Construction Debris

The Water Canyon Fire of 1954 was a wildfire in the eastern edge of the Jemez Mountains and the Santa Fe National Forest which burned approximately 3,000 to 6,000 acres (12−24 km²). The fire started on June 5, 1954, when the burning of trash and construction debris in upper Water Canyon got out of control.[1] Winds of up to 45 mph (72 km/h) pushed the fire 4 miles (6 km) north before it was contained after several days of work by 1,000 firefighters and a favorable change in wind conditions. The fire was significant for being the first fire to require the evacuation of nearby Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Although most sources list the Water Canyon Fire as occurring in 1954, one document from Los Alamos County (Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan) lists the fire with a date of 1953, with the smaller 1,000 acre (4 km²) Burnt Mountain Fire as occurring in 1954.

## See also[edit]

* La Mesa Fire (1977)
* Dome Fire (1996)
* Oso Complex Fire (1998)
* Cerro Grande Fire (2000)
* Las Conchas Fire (2011)

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Burkhardt, Bernice (June 6, 1954) "Wind Drives Forest Fires Near Los Alamos: Officials Believe Blaze Is Checked, City in No Danger" The Albuquerque Journal page 1, headline & column 6, continued page 2, column 3

## Sources[edit]

* Jemez Mountains Fire History
* Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan
* Fuels Inventories in the Los Alamos National Laboratory Region: 1997

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* t
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New Mexico wildfires

20th century|

* Capitan Gap (1950)
* Water Canyon (1954)
* Salvation (1974)
* La Mesa (1977)
* Dome (1996)
* Oso Complex (1998)

2000–2018|

* Cerro Grande (2000)
* Ponil Complex (2002)
* Trigo (2008)
* Wallow (2011)
* Las Conchas (2011)
* Little Bear (2012)
* Whitewater–Baldy Complex (2012)
* Ute Park (2018)

2020|

* Vics Peak Fire (June 15–August 4)

2021|

* Johnson (May 20–July 23)

2022|

* Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak (April 6–August 22)
* McBride (April 12–May 7)
* Cooks Peak (April 17–May 13)
* Black (May 13–July 27)

2024|

* Salt Fire
* South Fork Fire

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* Commons

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