New Mexico legislators look into how climate change impacts natural disasters

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – After the massive fires and flooding this summer in New Mexico, legislators are looking into how climate change is playing a role in natural disasters. During a legislative hearing this week, environmental leaders shared recommendations on what can be done to prevent the amount of damage.

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“This is really about helping them survive wildfires so they don’t lose all of their assets,” said Laura McCarthy, State Forester for the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department.

That was New Mexico State Forester, Laura McCarthy, who says climate change is affecting wildfire seasons in the state. The EMNRD says as temperatures get hotter, fire seasons last longer, it’s hurting residents.

“New Mexico of all 50 states is heating up the fastest, we’re drying out the fastest, our soil moisture levels are getting dryer,” said Rebecca Stair, Director for EMNRD.

During a legislative hearing this week, McCarthy along with other environmental leaders spoke about being proactive to prevent massive fires what happened this summer.

“We still don’t know the results of the economic impacts of the South Fork and the Salt fires but we know that there were folks who died, many structures that were lost over 1,400, over 8,000 people displaced,” said Susan Nedell, Mountain West Advocate.

The board brought up studies that showed the long-term impacts of wildfire smoke which often times contains a mix of chemicals ranging from asbestos to industrial chemicals when buildings burn. Suggestions to reduce wildfires in the state include public education campaigns to teach fire safety, and home and property assessments to identify what homes may need safety updates.

They add making these improvements are needed as current mitigation efforts are outdated as they see bigger, hotter fires that spread faster than they’ve seen in the past.

“Hope is not lost there’s a lot we can do to prevent things from getting worse and also to prepare ourselves for some tumultuous decades ahead that will happen no matter what,” said Stair.

The state says homeowners who live near areas with a high risk for fires can find techniques to prepare their homes online .

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