This week on New Mexico in Focus, a look at a historic fire season in our state. "Our Land" Producer Laura Paskus provides the context needed to understand the impacts of the early start, the devastating damage, and how we can navigate this growing threat.   

This year, New Mexico saw its two largest fires ever. These fires destroyed hundreds of homes, killed two people so far, forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes and livestock, and will cost millions of dollars.  

"The Longest Season: An Our Land Wildfire Special," explores all these challenges, and the ongoing struggle to support and recruit federal wildland firefighters to control these blazes.  

New Mexico in Focus airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) Friday, July 8 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 10 at 7 a.m., and streaming on the PBS video app.  

NMiF Segments
Correspondent

All Segments - Laura Paskus 

New Mexico’s Evolving Droughts & Wildfire Threats 
Guest
Parker Williams, bioclimatologist, UCLA 

Forest Under Siege 
Guests
Daniel Denipah, forestry director, Pueblo of Santa Clara 
Laura McCarthy, New Mexico State Forester 
John Formby, forest health specialist, New Mexico Forestry Division  
Lindsey Quam, deputy director of forests, New Mexico Forestry Division 

Fighting More Than Fire 
Guests
Marcus Cornwell, federal wildland firefighter 
Kelly Martin, president, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters 
Jonathon Golden, former wildland firefighter 

Wildland Firefighters Update 
Guest
Jonathon Golden, former wildland firefighter 

Preparing Homes for Fire Season 
Guest
Tom Swetnam, professor emeritus at the University of Arizona 

Wildfire Notifications & Resources 
Guest
Eytan Krasilovsky, deputy director, Forest Stewards Guild 

Earth Day Message 
Laura Paskus 

What Do We Do Now? 
Guest
Eytan Krasilovsky, deputy director, Forest Stewards Guild 

Community-Based Forest Management in Northern New Mexico 
Guests
J.R. Logan, secretary & treasurer, Cerro Negro Forest Council 
David Fermin Arguello, member, Cerro Negro Forest Council 
Art Montoya, mayordomo, Cerro Negro Forest Council 
Richard Cordova, lenero, Cerro Negro Forest Council 

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people that are shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic health, education, and art issues, and explores them in-depth with a critical eye to give them context beyond the "news of the moment." 

Senior Producer of New Mexico in Focus is Lou DiVizio with Kathy Wimmer, co-producer. NM PBS Public Affairs Executive Producer is Kevin McDonald.  

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You. Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund.

Funding for Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present & Future, is provided in part by the Neeper Natural History Programming Fund for KNME-TV. 

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