ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. –  The more than 1,200 firefighters who are battling the nation’s largest wildfire in rugged mountains and canyons of southwestern New Mexico are racing to build lines to corral the massive blaze.

The fire had charred more than 354 square miles by Saturday morning, and crews were bracing for more dry and windy conditions.

Fire information officer Lee Bentley says the focus is on the western edge of the Whitewater-Baldy fire.

The fire is expected to start backing down the mountains east of the community of Glenwood, and officials say residents should expect to see more smoke and flames as firefighters continue their backburn operations.

Bentley says gusts could reach close to 30 mph Saturday, resulting in active to extreme fire behavior.

The fire is about 15 percent contained.

It has charred 227,000 acres of the Gila National Forest and a dozen cabins and several outbuildings have been destroyed.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/02/1200-firefighters-battle-record-new-mexico-blaze-1712530292/?test=latestnews#ixzz1wfbDC6Av

Otero County Commission Chairman Ronny Rardin is standing up to the federal government and preserving county citizens’ rights to manage the portion of Lincoln National Forest within the boundaries of Otero County.

“On Sept. 17, 2011, Otero County took one acre of land that the United States national forest manages,” Rardin proclaimed at the Republican Party meeting in Otero County. “They don’t own that land. I can prove it. You own it. It belongs to New Mexico.”   READ MORE

LISTEN:  Interview on We the People Radio 5/20/12

Click here to view a list of documents provided by Commissioner Rardin

The Arizona Sentinel

September 19, 2011

The American Freedom Renewal Revolution takes another giant leap forward.

Filed under: My Posts — Tags: Chainsaws in Action, Commission Ronnie Rardin, Congressman Steve Pearce, Otero County Tree Party, Taking back our Country one County at a time — thearizonasentinel @ 2:37 pm

On Saturday Sept 17 2011, in Cloudcroft New Mexico.  Americans stepped up and reclaimed their freedoms. Freedom as it was originally used in the Constitution referred to “Life ,Liberty, and Private Property =Freedom).

The revolutions  that we’ve seen in recent years are started by individuals, such as Rick Santelli and the Tea Party Revolution and now we have the Otero County Tree party, which launched on Saturday by Otero County Commission Chairman Ronnie Rardin.

Ronnie had a lot of help, from his fellow commissioners, the commission liaison Sharon Coll, the town Mayor David Venable , and certain individuals that have been providing guidance enabling the county to use the law as written to begin the process of saving our forests, our watersheds, our infrastructure , towns and communities.

We are hearing a lot of blather from the beltway about jobs. Obama thinks he can create jobs, fact is he’s been killing jobs ever since he fraudulently entered the White House.  Government can help in the creation of jobs, by getting out of the way. That is exactly what the County Government has been forced to do in Otero County, they have had to step  up and remove the blockade of jobs and the preservation of our forests, and watersheds, by putting the forest service on notice.

Either lead follow but get the hell out of the way.  Below are a series of videos , and pictures taken during the event on Saturday.  Do the country a favor and send this site to everyone in your address book and tell them to do the same.  And remember there is more going on here than saving our forest, we are saving our country, freedom and liberty for the generations that will follow us. Enjoy!

http://www.alamogordonews.com/ci_18769064

Alamogordo Daily News
By Duane Barbati, Staff Writer

Posted:   08/26/2011 11:03:14 PM MDT

Click photo to enlarge

While speaking at the Republican Party of Otero County meeting… (J.R. Oppenheim/Daily News)

Otero County Commission Chairman Ronny Rardin was the guest speaker Thursday at the monthly meeting of the Republican Party of Otero County.

Rardin spoke about standing up to the federal government and preserving county citizens’ rights to manage the portion of Lincoln National Forest within the boundaries of Otero County.

“On Sept. 17, we’re going to take one acre of land that the United States national forest manages,” he said to audience members. “They don’t own that land. I can prove it. You own it. It belongs to New Mexico.”

Rardin said he believes any land ever given to the federal government has to be done in two ways.

“State legislators have to agree to give it to them and congress has to accept it,” he said. “The White Sands National Monument was never legally handed over to the United States government, but don’t worry, we’re not after White Sands. We think it’s a good idea to have them out there. The national forest land that they manage under the Organic Act, it’s not their land. It’s their timber. It’s not their people. It’s me who you elected to help protect the health, safety and welfare of the people. As long as … I am in office, that’s what I have to do or I have not upheld my office as an elected official.”

Rardin said Holloman Air Force Base land has been given to the federal government legally.

“On Sept. 17, we’re going to take a 200-foot by 200-foot piece of land up by Sleepy Grass (Campground),” he said. “We paid $80,000 of your money for Dr.

(Lawrence D.) Garrett to do a forest plan. We thought it was a bargain. There’s suppose to be 70 trees an acre up there to be a properly managed forest. When fire does start in a forest properly it can be managed and mitigated. It burns through the bottom and cleans out the brush.”

Rardin said Dr. Garrett’s plan is going to be implemented on Sept. 17 on one acre of land.

“We’re going to implement Dr. Garrett’s plan to a T,” he said. “We’re going to clean up our acre of land then show everyone what its suppose to look like in the rest of the forest. We believe they have a right to manage the forest. We also believe we have a say to protect it from fire danger. I don’t want to manage the forest. I want to enjoy the forest. I want to hunt and fish. I have no choice but to go in and manage the forest. Let’s dream ahead. Once the fire danger is down, we back off.”

Rardin said he and commissioners have exhausted all their avenues with getting the federal government to manage the forest.

“We’ve tried to work with the local Forest Service managers,” he said. “There very cordial, but they go ‘we can’t do that. You’re stepping on the Endangered Species Act or another policy.’ I was floored when regional manager of the New Mexico and Arizona District, Corbin Newman, told me he would look at our plan. It’s never happened before. We’ll see if they’ll implement it.”

Rardin said he met with the Cloudcroft officials about a private property ordinance.

“We showed them Ruidoso’s ordinance, ‘Fire Smart,’” he said. “It’s an ordinance that states private property owners will keep the fire ladders down, the brush out and so many trees away from structures and propane tanks. We’re going to adopt the same one. If we’re going to hold the Forest Service to the fire danger, we’re going to hold the private land people to the same fire danger. We’re going to be enforcing that ordinance very soon.”

Contact Duane Barbati at dbarbati@alamogordonews.com.

On Sept. 17, 2011, Otero County Commissioners with support of Otero County Sheriff, legally cut down trees in USFS managed New Mexico National Forest. The previous week, USFS officials had threatened a swat team to arrest the County Commissioners and New Mexico Congressman. But the County showed documents where they had the right.

It comes down to this:

The Forest Service is operating off of POLICY

and

Otero County operates under the LAW.

Learn more by watching this Youtube

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AObdf6Cbb3g#!

then Ronny was interviewed on May 20, 2012 on KNCR radio in Redding ,CA.

Listen below:

Here’s the archive of that show today

http://teapartymedia.net/20120520/index.htm

That is an indexed page and will be updated as we get all the documents scanned.