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A28 u.s. news
Diasabra 11 Juni 2022

Bird flu arrives in Southwest after millions of birds die

PHOENIX (AP) — Ari- Anyone seeing those symp-
zona officials have con- toms should call the state De-
firmed the first cases in partment of Agriculture.
the Southwest of a bird flu The first U.S. detection of
that has led to the deaths the new strain of highly con-
of 37 million birds from tagious avian flu in domestic
commercial farms in the poultry was in February in
central and eastern U.S. Indiana. More than 37 mil-
lion birds have been killed
The disease was spotted after to prevent the infection from
tests by federal wildlife offi- spreading since then.
cials in three wild cormorants As of June 3, it had been
that had been found dead in detected in wild birds in 40
a park in the Phoenix suburb states, but not in California,
of Scottsdale, Arizona Game Arizona, Nevada or New
and Fish officials announced Mexico. Commercial flocks
this week. in 19 states have been infect-
The disease has not yet been ed.
found in any domestic birds Once an infection is found,
or in commercial operations, the birds won’t recover and
the agency said. are killed to prevent spread-
But it is a concern, according ing the illness, Justice-Allen
to Glenn Hickman, president said.
and CEO of Hickman Fam- was found in a flock 3 miles cials have been closely moni- birds and test them before The outbreak has not only
ily Farms, one of the largest (4.8 kilometers) from one of toring for the disease, which park workers removed them. killed domestic fowl. It has
egg producers in the South- its Colorado farms, Hickman had been no closer than Col- “We had a high suspicion that also had a heavy toll on bald
west. Hickman operates four said Thursday. And while orado before this week’s an- it was something that we do eagles and other wild bird
chicken ranches in Arizona, he’s concerned about the nouncement, by responding not normally see,” Justice- species, much more so than
one in California and two in Scottsdale find, its not any- to all calls of dead birds. Allen said. “We have resident the nation’s last bird flu out-
Colorado. where near as concerning as Anne Justice-Allen, the de- cormorants in the area, and break detected in 2014. That
The company has stopped if a nearby commercial op- partment’s wildlife veteri- we do not normally see mor- outbreak cost more than 50
any visits to its farms and eration had an outbreak. narian, said calls from the tality events in them.” million domestic poultry.
doublechecked its biosecurity “Those are a lot scarier be- public alerted her agency to Justice-Allen said a major Hickman said egg producers
program, which is designed cause the massive amount the dead cormorants, water- concern is backyard flocks of are so far making up for lost
to prevent its approximately of virus that is potentially loving birds that often nest in chickens, which are allowed production from outbreaks
2 million chickens from be- produced when you have groups. The three juveniles in parts of metro Phoenix. affecting flocks this year.
ing infected. Its chickens are a large population is much had fallen out of their nests The disease has been found “I think I can speak pretty
kept in barns that are secured more than the relatively small and were spotted dead by in many homeowner flocks firmly that regardless of how
so that wild birds can’t enter, amount of virus per bird in morning walkers in the park, across the country. many birds that have been af-
and any people or tools that the wild bird population,” he who called wildlife officials. Bird owners should watch for fected and depopulated, there
enter are disinfected. said. None of his farms were “It’s a good thing they did,” symptoms like birds not eat- are still eggs on every shelf in
The company dodged a scare affected. Justice-Allen said, because ing or lethargy, runny noses, every grocery store in Ameri-
recently when the avian flu Arizona Game and Fish offi- they were able to collect the seizures or diarrhea, she said. ca,” Hickman said.

New Mexico residents sue for information on massive wildfire

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — knowledged that two pre- tain range, which sits at the documents for the burns, Saturday for a briefing about
Dozens of residents in a scribed burns it set to clear southern edge of the Rocky agreements or contracts with the wildfires and recovery
small New Mexico com- out brush and small trees Mountains. Several hundred anyone who helped carry out efforts. Another wildfire in
munity impacted by mas- that can serve as wildfire fuel homes have been destroyed. the burns and information on southwestern New Mexico
sive wildfires that merged sparked two blazes that came The lawsuit was filed the rules and regulations that has burned 466 square miles
in April are suing the together as the largest in New Wednesday in U.S. District govern the prescribed burns. (1,206 square kilometers).
U.S. Forest Service over Mexico’s history and the big- Court in Albuquerque on Without the information, the The Mora County residents
what they called a failure gest burning in the U.S. right behalf of 50 Mora County lawsuit alleges, the residents said they requested docu-
to provide information now. residents, the Santa Fe New “cannot determine the For- ments from the Forest Ser-
about the government’s The wildfire has charred Mexican reported. est Service’s responsibility — vice on May 4 about the fire
role in starting the blazes. nearly 500 square miles It asks the court to declare other than media accounts — in northern New Mexico,
(1,295 square kilometers) in that the Forest Service im- for starting the fire.” but that the agency failed to
The Forest Service has ac- the Sangre de Cristo moun- properly withheld planning The Forest Service told the respond within 20 working
Santa Fe New Mexican that it days as required under the
does not comment on pend- law. The lawsuit also seeks
ing litigation. The agency attorneys fees.
has said unexpected, erratic Herman Lujan, 80, his broth-
winds during one prescribed er and nephew are among the
burn carried embers out- Mora County residents who
side the targeted area. The are suing. Lujan’s home was
other wildfire emerged from spared, but he said he has 30
a burn set on a pile of dead hungry cattle that he might
vegetation in January that have to sell because they can’t
smoldered for weeks, even graze in a burned pasture his
under snow. family has used for genera-
The agency has put a hold on tions.
prescribed burns nationwide “Everything burned,” he said.
pending its own investiga- “Timber, everything. I even
tion. had an old dozer up there to
President Joe Biden is sched- make ponds for the cows, and
uled to visit New Mexico on everything burned.”