The Desert Willow Complex Fire- Los Lunas, New Mexico
On Saturday, June 21, 2025, a wildfire started in the bosque- the woods alongside the Rio Grande River- on the Southwest side of the Main Street Bridge here in Los Lunas. The fire quickly gained steam, and before much could be done, 12 homes were lost in the blaze. C-130s were brought in to dump ‘slurry’- fire retardant- on the neighborhood, and in the bosque to help contain the fire, helicopters- including a Chinook- dropped water, and multiple agencies along the Rio Grande corridor responded to help with the blaze. With incredible effort, the fire was brought under control and is now extinguished. The fire was about two miles South of my home, as the crow flies.
Then, as my family and I were leaving for Church on Sunday morning, another wildfire broke out- this time on the Northeast side of the Main Street Bridge. A witness has come forward with information that indicates these fires- for it began as two fires, that then merged- were deliberately set by an as-yet unidentified individual. Although there is an entire river between my house, and where this fire broke out, it was only about a mile, as the crow flies. And it was terrifying.
The order to evacuate the neighborhood next to mine came through at around 6:00 in the evening, with the boundary approximately two block from my house. We chose to evacuate just in case, on the advice of my brother who is lieutenant with the Valencia County Fire Department. And, even though we didn't HAVE to evacuate, it was still nerve-wracking to know that a wildfire was so close to my house. We are blessed that my parents live nearby and welcomed us to stay with them overnight.
The Desert Willow Complex Fire is mostly under control now, thanks to the efforts of multiple firefighting agencies! And, after a night away from home, my family and I have returned to our house that is just the way we left it. In fact, I just got the notification that ALL evacuation orders and closures have been lifted as I type this!.
After speaking with my brother, who- as mentioned above- is a lieutenant with the VCFD, I cautiously drove around this morning, and took the photos presented in this blog post. I used my 150-600mm lens to take these photos. I was WAY out of the way, despite what the photos may seem to indicate. In the two photos of the neighborhood that burned down, I was pretty close, but the area had already been re-opened to residents, so it was safe for me to be there. Additionally, the haze that seems to be in some of these photos is actually smoke. Fires like these burn hot, and fast, and it's going to be at least a few more days before the fire is considered completely extinguished.
One of the things that I am most proud of in the face of this disaster is how my town came together. Both teams of cheerleaders from our high schools were out collecting, sorting, and helping to distribute all the donations that came in- so many in fact that our village had to ask residents to STOP donating! Our animal shelter, the Valencia County Sheriff’s Posse, and Bosque Farms Rodeo all opened their facilities to provide safe spaces for large and small animals. Local residents offered up their trucks and trailers to help move cattle and horses out of danger. And neighbors were found to be helping wet down properties, help people evacuate, and so much more! We even have a local towing company offering up their stash of fire extinguishers to anyone who may need one. I am proud to come from such a town!
Conducting family photo sessions in the bosque in the Albuquerque area is a classic. I use the bosque here in Los Lunas a LOT! But, I hope that my local photography friends will keep their- and their clients' safety!- in mind when using the bosque this summer! Please, check the fire danger warnings in addition to the weather before heading out. These fires almost engulfed my town in a matter of 30 minutes each time. Please, stay safe!