Los Alamos National Laboratory announced it has provided free firewood, cleared from its property during on-site wildfire mitigation efforts this year, to warm woodstoves and kiva fireplaces this winter. Tribal members from the neighboring Accord Pueblos of San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Cochiti, and Jemez collected hundreds of cords of firewood from the Laboratory's property to repurpose the timber, according to a press release by Los Alamos National Laboratory.

This year, this effort has resulted in the selective thinning of approximately 100 acres around the Emergency Operations Center and 135 acres in Rendija Canyon, yielding over 350 cords of wood. The collected firewood, predominantly ponderosa pine, holds significant energy potential, providing more than 560 million Btus of energy. This initiative becomes crucial as winter sets in. A 1,500-square-foot home requires around 12,000 Btus to maintain an interior temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. In New Mexico, a cord of firewood can range from $450 to $550. This community-driven effort is a valuable support for the Pueblo partners said Los Alamos National Laboratory.

“Fire mitigation is a year-round mission here at Los Alamos National Laboratory,” said Ted Wyka, manager of the National Nuclear Security Administration Los Alamos Field Office. “We were grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Accord Pueblos for the fifth year on an aspect of the Laboratory’s wildfire mitigation program where wildfire fuel is harvested from the Laboratory and offered as firewood to our neighbors.”

“This is an excellent way to help our neighbors during the colder months and it makes sure nothing goes to waste,” said Laboratory wildfire manager Jim Jones. “I anticipate the firewood giveaway will continue as long as we are doing this kind of forest stewardship at the Laboratory.”