The Frijoles Fire, burning on forest land north of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is putting a damper on events in the city renowned for its arts.
The Santa Fe Opera, for instance, canceled some performances this week “due to dangerous air quality from wildfire smoke in Santa Fe and surrounding areas.” Although Thursday’s performance of The Magic Flute was expected to go on as scheduled.
“The safety of our artists, staff and audience is our highest priority,” the Santa Fe Opera wrote on social media. “We appreciate your understanding as we continue to monitor conditions and will share updates as they become available.”
Officials say that smoke is the biggest concern for the region and have recommended that people check air quality alerts and stay indoors when advised to do so.
“It is recommended to keep your windows closed and if you don't need to go outside for any type of activities, try to stay indoors,” U.S. Forest Service fire spokesman Charles Kuniyoshi said. “This really does impact a lot of folks.”
Heavy winds have increased the radius of the fire and are causing plumes of smoke, posing a public health concern.
The fire is burning in steep terrain 15 miles northeast of the city, which is loved for its art markets and rich history. Some evacuations are in place closer to the fire.
Nearly 300 firefighters and Forest Service employees are working to control the 7,800-acre blaze, which is considered 1 percent contained. It’s about 5 miles west of Sierra Mosca and 3 miles southeast of Cundiyo.
The fire was sparked on Aug. 4 by lightning, officials said, and hot, dry conditions, coupled with “erratic” winds, are expected to fuel its growth in the coming days. Around 270 firefighters are involved in efforts to extinguish the fire.
Though some events have been canceled, others remain on the calendar — or are waiting to see if conditions improve.
The Santa Fe Indian Market was set to go on as scheduled over the weekend.
Fire crews are reminding nearby residents that a temporary flight restriction is in effect, including for drones, saying one drone flew into the restricted airspace earlier in the week, which “posed a threat to the safety of aviation resources and impeded suppression efforts.”
For updates, you can call (505) 407-5343 or follow fire officials’ updates at https://www.santafecountynm.gov/fire and https://www.facebook.com/FrijolesFire.
