Public deserves answers about Dog Head Fire

As the Dog Head Fire reached 95 percent containment Wednesday, out of the ashes arose questions about when the first report of the suspected human-caused wildland fire came in, what the early response was and if there were some decision to let the fire go as a controlled burn.

The U.S. Forest Service, which is in charge of fighting the fire, categorically denies the latter. On its website Wednesday was this statement: “The strategy for this fire is and has always been full suppression.”

Still, after smoke officially was reported at 11:33 a.m. on June 14, it wasn’t until 6 p.m. June 15, that a Type 2 team officially took over management of firefighting efforts.

The Dog Head ultimately burned nearly 18,000 acres, forced evacuations of people, pets and livestock and destroyed 12 homes in the Manzano Mountains.

As the Forest Service continues its investigation, it would be helpful if other agencies that might have information would keep the public’s interest in mind.

Amid unconfirmed reports that the fire may have been called in several hours before a Forest Service lookout spotted smoke at 11:33 a.m. on June 14, the Albuquerque Journal asked to listen to radio dispatches and to view computer logs of the Bernalillo County Emergency Communications Center between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. that day.

The center has refused the request.

There is no legitimate reason for Bernalillo County Fire Marshal Chris Gober to refuse public access to dispatch records for that two-hour window.

A center staffer at first reported Gober told her not to release them because the state fire marshal was investigating. Gober later said the Forest Service was investigating and had asked him not to release the records, then admitted he wasn’t asked at all but was withholding them out of “common courtesy.”

Still later, Gober finally said he had since contacted the Forest Service and was then asked to withhold them.

This is not acceptable from a public official, especially when his agency isn’t even in charge of the fire. A reasonable question would be: Is there an effort to protect someone or some agency?

The county should cough up these records. This fire had a big impact, and the public deserves answers.

— Albuquerque Journal