National Park News
Wildfire, Flooding Danger Shut Down Bandelier National Monument ‘For Foreseeable Future’
Park designated in 1916 to preserve ancestral pueblo life, as well as wilderness, is one more victim of the Las Conchas fire.By Kate Schwab, 7-28-11
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| Pueblo village site, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, 1996. Photo by Flickr user PhillipC. | |
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Most of Bandelier National Monument is slated to remain closed “for the foreseeable future” because of wildfire damage, according to the National Park Service.
About half of the New Mexico park, home to ancestral pueblo remains dating back to 1150, was destroyed by the Las Conchas Fire, the park’s web page reports. Because officials expect seasonal thunderstorms, the rest of the park will stay closed because of flash flooding danger. Frijoles Canyon, which includes the visitor center, is considered one of the most hazardous locations. The visitor center is closed.
The monument shut down June 26 as the fire encroached. According to NPS, Juniper Campground reopened to the public July 15, with the A and B loops available, as well as the amphitheatre and evening programs. Three trails, at Burnt Mesa, Tsankawi and Tyuonyi Overlook, are still open. Everything else is shut down till further notice.
Main offices at Bandelier are shut down. The park superintendent did not reply to a message requesting comment. Regional Park Service spokesman Patrick O’Driscoll said he was not prepared to comment on specifics related to the future of Bandelier, except to note that officials will most likely not make any major decisions until after the fire is completely out. Further questions were referred to the park’s chief interpretation officer, who was not available.
Named for Adolph Francis Bandelier, a Swiss scientist who studied Native dwellings in Frijoles Canyon, Bandelier National Monument was created in 1916 to preserve examples of ancestral Pueblo Indian architecture. According to a report by RV Examiner, the park was closed to the public during World War II, when it was used to house the Manhattan Project scientists and military personnel.
Las Conchas, thought to have been caused by a downed tree striking a power line, broke out in June and has since destroyed 63 homes and injured 15 people. Now 90 percent contained, the fire has burned 156,593 acres, the biggest fire in state history.
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