Crisis

“The Cerro Grande Fire created a sense of community that hasn’t existed here for 50 years.”
— Mark Bentley

How have you felt during times of crisis?

The Cerro Grande Fire was a crisis for the region. It destroyed or damaged the homes of 413 families in Los Alamos. Two eldery residents of Santa Clara Pueblo died as a result of smoke from the fire. The fire burned thousands of acres of San Ildefonso and Santa Clara land, including sacred sites. Parts of Los Alamos National Laboratory land burned, including office trailers holding years of research, but thanks to preventative measures and the efforts of firefighters, no environmental hazards were released. All told, 47,650 acres of forest burned.

New Mexico reeled from the effects of the Cerro Grande Fire. This was a fire set by the National Park Service, and for some people the fire contributed to concerns or mistrust of government agencies in northern New Mexico. The shared crisis also brought people together. Out of communities fragmented by the Manhattan Project, New Mexicans created a community of support and caring as we helped each other heal from the scars of the fire.

Photo courtesy Pajarito Environmental Education Center.

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