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JUNE 13, 2001

The National Park Service on Tuesday released a report absolving government employees for the massive Cerro Grande fire which originated in the Bandelier National Monument.

The Report holds the procedures for prescribed burns at fault and not the employees. But one of the employees who accepted responsibility for the fires has resigned and the other employee has been reassigned to another job in the federal government not involving fires.

New Mexico's Congressional delegation had mixed reaction to the report. Rep. Tom Udall (D) said he was dissatisfied while Senators Jeff Bingaman (D) and Pete Domenici (R) said they supported its findings.

Despite the report faulting policies, Park Service yesterday officials accepted blame for the fire which burned several thousand acres of Pueblo land and countless more in federal and private property.

Get Fire Documents:
Cerro Grande Reports | Cerro Grande Memos

Get the Story:
Park Service Accepts Blame in Fire (The Albuquerque Journal 6/13)
Fire Victims Have Mixed Reactions to Report (The Albuquerque Journal 6/13)
Park Employees Absolved In New Mexico Wildfire (The Washington Post 6/13)

Relevant Links:
Fire Jobs, BIA - http://fire.nifc.nps.gov/bia/firejobs/firejobs1.html
BIA Wildfire Management - http://fire.nifc.nps.gov/bia
National Fire Plan - http://www.fireplan.gov
National Interagency Fire Center - http://www.nifc.gov/index.html

Related Stories:
Report: No one responsible for Cerro Grande (6/12)
Fire burning on Jicarilla Reservation (6/11)
Norton promotes Indian Country fire efforts (6/8)