June 4, 2021 
Taos, NM – June 4, 2021— Fire managers for the Carson National Forest are holding an outdoor community meeting Sunday, June 6 at 3:00 p.m. at the fire station in Vallecitos, New Mexico. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Carson National Forest’s strategy for managing the Poso fire and to address community concerns. The Carson is asking community members who attend the meeting to practice social distancing and wear a mask if not vaccinated.
The Poso Fire, the result of a lightning strike, was detected May 29 on the El Rito Ranger District of the Carson National Forest, approximately 10 miles north of the community of El Rito, New Mexico. Currently, the fire is a low-intensity surface fire, burning primarily in the dead-and-down fuels. Carson National Forest fire managers are taking advantage of ideal conditions to manage the fire to meet several resource objectives. This management strategy is designed to help remove hazardous fuels, return fire to the ecosystem, decrease the probability for high-severity wildfires in the future, and reduce exposure to firefighters.
The decision to not suppress the fire was made after discussions between Carson National Forest leadership, fire managers, resource specialists, and the Forest Service’s Southwestern Regional Office. Regard for human safety and management of risk guide all fire management decisions and actions. The Carson National Forest is not “letting the fire burn,”, rather, fire managers are taking specific actions as the fire reaches trigger points within a pre-determined area that has been outlined for this incident. Management strategies may be reviewed and adjusted as conditions and fire behavior changes. The Poso fire poses no immediate danger to any property or infrastructure.
Name: Poso
Date detected: May 29, 2021
Cause: Lightning
Location: Carson NF, El Rito Ranger District, 10 miles north of El Rito, adjacent to FR123
Size: 8 acres
Growth Potential: Low to moderate
Vegetation: Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer
Resources: 1 Type-4 Incident Command Team, 1 type 2 IA crew, 1 road grader, 2 Type-6 engines, local fire personnel.
In Route: 1 Type-2 bulldozer, 1 Type-1 masticator, and 1 wildland fire module.
Smoke: Smoke management is a key part of the planning and implementation of managed wildfire. Due to the location and elevation of the fires, smoke may be visible from surrounding communities including Vallecitos, Cañon Plaza, Petaca, Las Tablas, Servilleta Plaza, El Rito, Ojo Caliente, Tres Piedras, and La Madera, New Mexico. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with heart or respiratory problems are encouraged to take precautionary measures. For information on air quality and protecting your health, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. For information on the HEPA filter loan program, go to https://facnm.org/smoke/ or contact the El Rito Ranger District 575-581-4554.
Updates will be posted on the Carson National Forest website, New Mexico Fire Information website and on the Carson National Forest Facebook and Twitter pages.
NM Fire Info 
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