Navajo Dam, NM - A brushfire at Cottonwood Campground at Navajo Lake State Park earlier today caused campers to be evacuated. Although nobody was seriously injured, one camper was treated for smoke inhalation and later released.
State Park officials are escorting campers to their sites to gather their belongings. "We'll reopen Cottonwood Campground in about five or six days," said State Parks Director Christy Tafoya. "We want the area to be completely safe for our visitors, and right now a few areas are still smoldering." Displaced campers will be offered four free nights of camping.
Cottonwood Campground was placed on fire restrictions due to increased fire danger on June 27, 2017- open fires, charcoal and smoking are prohibited in that area.
For all camping areas without fire restrictions, State Park officials offer this reminder:
- Don't leave until you are sure your campfire is DEAD OUT. That means completely extinguishing your campfire, drowning it with water until the hissing and steaming stops. Make sure all embers, coals and sticks are wet. Then use the shovel to mix dirt and water with the ashes.
- Use your bare hand to feel the materials. Do not stick your hand in the ashes! Hold your hand about an inch above the debris. Everything including the stones surrounding the campfire should be cool to the touch.
The cause of the brushfire at Cottonwood Campground is still under investigation.