>> QUINN: WE ARE IN MORA, NEW MEXICO AND WE ARE SITTING ON TOP OF THE ONLY TRANSMISSION FACILITY IN THIS PART OF THE STATE.

SO, THE CALF CANYON AND HERMIT'S PEAKS FIRE SWEPT THROUGH THIS AREA AND BURNED THE ENTIRE FACILITY, 29 POWER POLES, ALL THE WIRES AND IT BURNED OUR FACILITY COMPLETELY TO THE GROUND.

SO TOTAL DESTRUCTION.

SO WE KNEW THAT WE HAD A FEW FACILITIES IN THE STATE THAT WERE IN THE PATH OF THE FIRE AND THIS WAS ONE THAT WE EXPECTED TO LOSE.

THE DAY WE DID, THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE IN EXCESS OF 70 MILES AN HOUR UP HERE AND THE FIRE SKIPPED THROUGH QUICKLY.

IT WAS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR US.

FIRST THING IS, IT WAS SAD.

YOU COME UP TO AN AREA LIKE THIS AND THE LAND THAT HAS BEEN SO WELL TAKEN CARE OF BY THE OWNER, TO A FACILITY I HAVE COME TO FOR A DECADE.

I GOT TO KNOW THE ANIMALS, THIS IS A PLACE I WOULD COME AND HORNED LIZARDS WOULD COME OUT FROM UNDER THE BUILDING AND WE WOULD SEE ALL THAT AND NOW IT IS GONE.

IT IS INCREDIBLY SAD BUT THEN THE NEXT THING THAT COMES TO ME IS HOW DO WE GET IT BACK.

HOW DO WE GET BACK TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE AND HOW DO WE GET OPERATING AS QUICK AS WE CAN.

THAT IS WHAT WE DID, INSTEAD OF LAMENTING OUR LOSS.

WE LOOKED AT OUR FUTURE AND WE HAVE ALREADY SET A NEW BUILDING ON THE GROUND AND THERE IS NOT EVEN POWER ON THIS MOUNTAIN.

THE KNME TOWER IS RIGHT BEHIND US AND THE OTHER FACILITIES UP HERE, WE HAVE GOT STATE WEATHER, INTERNET SERVICE FOR THE AREA AND THEN MAJOR CARRIERS FOR THE CELL PHONES ARE IN THE OTHER TWO REMAINING TOWERS.

THE KNME TOWER HERE IS THE LAST LINK IN WHAT WE CALL A DAISY CHAIN.

WE FEED APACHE MESA, WHICH IS TECOLOTE, DIRECTLY FROM SANDIA CREST, AND THEN THAT, IN TURN, FEEDS TO THIS TOWER.

SO WHEN THIS TOWER WAS DOWN THERE WAS NO TELEVISION TO THE ENTIRE VALLEY.

THAT WOULD INCLUDE COMMERCIAL CARRIERS.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE VERY USED TO AND WE HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME, WE TURN THE BUTTON.

THAT IS THE LAST THING WE DO.

IF IT DOESN'T WORK, WE GET A NEW MACHINE, BUT THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

TO TURN MY ONE BUILDING ON HERE, RIGHT NOW I AM GOING TO -- JUST DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS, THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL HUNDRED, TWO OR 300 HUNDRED PEOPLE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE EFFORT THAT JUST ALLOWS US TO STAND ON THE TOP OF THIS HILL TODAY.

THERE IS PEOPLE GOING FORWARD FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES, ALL THE SUPPLIERS OF EQUIPMENT WE USE.

THIS IS MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF EQUIPMENT HERE TO TURN IT ON TO PROVIDE A SIGNAL, FOR ENTERTAINMENT OR EDUCATION FOR PEOPLE.

IT SEEMS EASY BUT THERE IS A FULL-TIME 365 DAY A YEAR COMMITMENT TO THE WORK THAT IS REQUIRED TO MAKE US RELIABLE.

YOU CAN SEE THE POWER LINES CUT, TO A DEGREE, THROUGH PROPERTIES, TO PROVIDE SOME EASEMENT, ONE FOR CONSTRUCTION, THE OTHER IS TO GIVE A BUFFER FROM FIRES.

THE SAME THING HAPPENS ON THE HILLTOP.

WE DON'T JUST CLEAR THEM OUT FOR EASE FOR US, BUT WE CLEAR THEM OUT TO KEEP FIRE BACK.

THE AREAS ARE TYPICALLY MAINTAINED LOW BRUSH.

WE TRY TO FIND AREAS THAT CAN TAKE A FIRE AND THEN BOUNCE RIGHT BACK.

YOU CANNOT PROTECT COMPLETELY ESPECIALLY IN A FORESTED ENVIRONMENT, BUT YOU CAN MITIGATE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN BY BEING A GOOD TENANT AND THEN HAVING -- JUST HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE FOR WHEN IT HAPPENS.

WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE FOREST FIRES LIKE THIS.

AS THE CLIMATE IS DRYER, THEY ARE GOING TO BE WORSE.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE MORE OUT OF CONTROL.

WE NEED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR FORESTS AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE, WHEN IT IS OUT OF SIGHT, IT IS OUT OF MIND, BUT WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT WHAT IS OVER THAT HILL AND HOW CAN WE PREPARE FOR THE SUPER FIRE THAT IS COMING THROUGH HERE TOMORROW.