FARMINGTON — Drought conditions in San Juan County have worsened over the course of 2018, and short-term forecasts are not predicting any relief from the situation.
While the drought conditions have worsened since the start of the year, officials say it is still too early to tell what that may mean for water and fire conditions for the rest of the year.
Sypher said the city has done what it can to prepare to meet demand if no significant moisture comes to the area in the upcoming months.
(Photo: The Daily Times file photo) One concern is that Farmington relies on surface water from the Animas River, which feeds Farmington Lake.
San Juan County Fire Chief Craig Daugherty said it is too early to predict how severe the fire season could be this year.
However, Daugherty said if the county does not get moisture “we’ll definitely be in a world of hurt” when the fire season gets under way.
Daugherty said the county is already seeing wildland fires.
He also encouraged people to be careful about burning and to call San Juan County Fire Department before burning vegetation.
Daugherty said the lack of snow this year, combined with the abundance of vegetation, has created a situation in which fireplace ashes easily can spark wildfires.
He said people who are disposing of ashes from their fireplace should keep the ashes in metal buckets until they cool or put water in the bucket to cool down the ashes.