The Village of Taos Ski Valley is now a Nationally Recognized Firewise Community.

The Firewise Board obtained grant money from State Farm Insurance Company.  The money is being used to thin the property around the Village Offices and Firehouse on May 2nd, which is designated as a Wildfire Community Preparedness Day.

You are most welcome to drive to the Village Offices after May 2nd, and see for yourself what “defensible space” really means.  With spring and a possible dry summer approaching, it is time for you to make sure your property has defensible space to protect your home from a wildland fire.  If you have undeveloped property you still need to thin your property of dead/dying trees and underbrush.

An up-to-date list of companies follows, who can thin your property and create defensible space.  To help with costs, please contact Taos Soil and Water Conservation District at P.O. Box 2787, Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557; or call them at 575-751-0584 or log on to www.tswcd@newmex.com and request an Application for Conservation Practice Cost-Share Program.  Get your neighbors to apply with you as a team.

Please let the Firewise Community Board of Directors know how your project is coming along.  All you need to do is contact Kathy Bennett at Kathybennetttsv@cs.com and she’ll share your information with the Board.  Pictures are most welcome.  Let’s start this summer to make our Village as defensible as possible from a wildland fire.  The Board hopes to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
The Members of the Village of Taos Ski Valley Firewise Community Board of Directors

FIREWISE THINNING/DEFENSIBLE SPACE COMPANIES
Contact List for Firewise Thinning/Defensible Space Companies
A.S.A.P. Tree Service, Tony Herrera  575-776-8640________________________
D & M Enterprises, Mark Watrin
P.O. Box 3274, Taos, NM 87571   505-350-8179________________________
Keay Construction , Kevin Keay   575-770-1514
P.O. Box 904, El Prado, NM 87529__________________________________________________
Magpie Farm, Bobby Haque   575-776-1149 bobbyhaque@gmail.com
P.O. Box 366, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514  575-779-1349 (cell)___________________
Nature’s Logic Defensible Space   575-770-9911 natureslogicds@gmail.com
Rachel and Ted Lucero___________________________________________________________
New Mexico Tree Care, Inc., Steve Tichnor  575-776-5914 stichnor@gmail.com
P. O. Box 585, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514______________________________________________
Rock N Snow, Bill Engle    575-586-1875 billengle@newmex.com
P. O. Box 1148, Questa, NM 87556   575-779-6917 (cell)___________________
Tarzan’s Tree Trimming Service, Steve Noriega 575-770-6947______________________
TSV Saws, Kei Braun    575-779-4352 kei@skitaos.org_____
Watershed Landcare, LLC.    575-751-4314 nmwatershed@gmail.com
P.O. Box 2529     575-770-0112 (cell)
Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557_____________________________________________________
Wildfire Mitigation Services, Carl Thompson 575-776-3198 wildfiremit@gmail.com
P. O. Box 1181, El Prado, NM 87529_______________________________________________