The Sandia Ranger District has also announced closures due to fire danger.

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Special Weather Statement Issued by NWS Albuquerque (Northern and Central New Mexico) 2:35 pm 6/28

Closures
NM 4 is closed at Jemez Falls Campground and at NM 501. NM 502 westbound into Los Alamos is now closed to all motorists. Access is controlled and limited to official traffic until further notification.

Bandelier National Monument: The Bandelier National Monument will be closed indefinitely.

Fire Update:
East – Crews are working to protect structures near Bandelier, as well as working to contain the fire along the Frijole Canyon.
West – Crews are building direct lines to prevent fire movement to the west.
Northeast – Crews are working to contain the fire using burnout methods to prevent the fire from spreading north of Pajarito Road and east of Highway 501.
South – North of Cochiti fire progression is being slowed by lighter fuel types. Firefighters are evaluating methods to stop the fire from spreading south.

Current Evacuations:
City of Los Alamos – The acting Los Alamos County Administrator issued an evacuation order for the city of Los Alamos. The Cities of Gold hotel in Pojoaque is offering shelter services for evacuating residents of Los Alamos. Los Alamos evacuees are advised against sheltering in White Rock, although White Rock is not at risk. White Rock is currently under a voluntary evacuation.

For Immediate Release: June 28, 2011, 11:30 am

http://inciweb.org/incident/article/2385/12069/

Date Started: 1 p.m., 6/26/2011

Number of Personnel: Approximately 315. Resources include two hotshot crews and nine hand crews. An Area Command Team and an additional Type I Incident Management Team have been assigned to the fire.

Location: Approximately 12 miles southwest of Los Alamos off NM 4 at mile marker 35

Fuels: Mixed Conifer, Ponderosa Pine. Fuel moisture is extremely low.

Cause: Unknown – under investigation

Equipment: Five dozers and 13 engines

Size: 60,741 acres based on infrared data

Aircraft: Seven helicopters

Incident: Las Conchas Wildfire
Released: 2 hrs. ago

A public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight (6/28/11) in the Ben Lujan Gym, Pojoaque Valley High School, 1574 State Road 502.

Website Info: http://www.inciweb.org/

Simple, fast and much more satisfying that it sounds. This sopa is assembled in seconds and can be baked or microwaved, if you want an instant meal. Make it vegan without the cheese. Either way, it’s great.

6 slices of bread
1 c. chopped green chili or pico de gallo
1 c. cooked pinto beans
2 c. pinto bean broth( or veggie or chicken stock)
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
3 TBL chopped cilantro
4 Tbl butter ( or olive oil)
1 c. shredded cotijo cheese(or whatever is in the fridge)

Toast 6 slices of bread. Mix 4 Tbl soft butter or olive oil with 2 finely minced cloves of garlic. Spread toast with butter and break into pieces.

Butter a 8×8 inch baking dish. Layer toast. Cover with well-drained pico de gallo or chopped green chili over the toast.Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Pour over drained beans and 2 c. of broth from beans. Do not stir.

Sprinkle grated cheese.

Bake until cheese melts about 15 minutes.

I catered a small Vegetarian celebration this week. The centerpiece, Braised Frisee with Gold Beets, went perfectly with my Vegan Chocolate Cake.

The first time I went to one of the pueblos to watch the dancing I was served a small cracked hand-painted bowl of this vegetarian stew. I’ve made it ever since I had my first garden when I was a child. It’s rich, comforting and simple but like most dishes that contain green chili, the whole is tastier than the individual ingredients. Serve with freshly made corn tortillas, bowls of salsa and some cold hand-crafted beer from the brewery at Christ in the Desert.

2 ears of fresh corn, kennels cut from cob
1 large yellow onion, chopped medium
1/2  roasted, peeled and chopped hot green chil
1 TBL chopped garlic
4 c. peeled, seeded and chopped unripe pumpkin or banana squash
2 TBL oil (grapeseed if possible)

In a large kettle, saute onion and pumpkin or squash  until the onion is translucent.

Add corn, chili and garlic. Add enough fresh water to prevent sticking. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour.

I shoot a lot of cemetaries. For heart-rending, technicolor boisterous displays, you just can’t beat a New Mexican cemetary on Easter, Day of the Dead or Christmas. I’ve made it to my favorite, the Nambe cemetary in Nambe, every Boxing Day for most of the last 20 years. I follow that up with New Year’s Day in Acoma. It seems to make the perfect emotional double-header.

I found this small, weathered cross tucked away in a far corner surrounded by tumbleweeds and scruffy dead plants. The new flowers shows that this lonely hidden grave hadn’t been forgotten.