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.
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 |
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.