October 8, 2021 
Albuquerque, NM – October 8, 2021 – Fire managers on the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF & NGs) are preparing for prescribed fire operations to reduce hazardous fuels, improve wildlife habitat, and create healthier, more resilient forest and watershed ecosystems.
A final decision on whether to proceed with a specific prescribed burn on the Cibola NF & NGs will depend on environmental conditions, resource availability, fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecast weather. Prescribed fires are designed to meet specific objectives and are always managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.
Below are a list of planned prescribed fires that crews plan to conduct on the Mount Taylor, Magdalena, Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts starting as early as October 11th and continuing through November pending suitable conditions.
Magdalena Ranger District: Baney RX Burn: Fire crews are looking at burning up to 900 acres on the Baney units in the northwestern part of the San Mateo Mountains approximately 25 miles southwest of Magdalena, NM. The Baney Unit is located along and south of FSR 476 and west of FSR 549 in Township 05 South Range 07 West Sections 18,19,29, 30 and 32 as well as Township 06 South Range 07 West sections 5 and 7. Smoke may be visible from the surrounding areas of Magdalena, Alamo and Datil.
Mount Taylor Ranger District: Redondo RX Burn-Copperton/Sawyer blocks: Fire crews are looking at burning more units of the Redondo RX project. 1,907 acres on the Copperton unit located three miles west of Post Office Flats on Forest Service Road (FSR) 480 in the Zuni Mountains, and 663 acres on the Sawyer unit four miles west of Post Office Flats. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Ramah, Gallup, Thoreau, Bluewater, Grants and Millan.
Mountainair Ranger District – Thunderbird RX Burn: Fire crews are looking at burning 148 acres on the Thunderbird Ecosystem Management Project. The burn unit is located north of FR 275 along the forest boundary and just west of Game Road. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Game Road, Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, the Estancia Valley or west Manzano communities such as Rio Communities, Belen or Los Lunas.
Mountainair Ranger District – Chato RX Burn: Fire crews are looking at burning 217 acres on the Red Canyon Restoration Project. The burn unit is located north of FR 253 along the forest boundary and just west of Manzano Land Grant. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, the Estancia Valley or west Manzano communities such as Rio Communities, Belen or Los Lunas.
Sandia Ranger District – David Canyon RX Burn: Fire crews are looking at burning approximately 459 acres In the David Canyon area, in the Manzanita Mountains. David Canyon is located west of Hwy 337 and West of the Mars Court trailhead. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Tijeras, Edgewood, Moriarty and Albuquerque.
The National Interagency Fire Center reports that this year to date, the U.S. has had 46,925 wildfires that have burned a total of 6,423,804 acres. Today, NIFC reports 37 active large fires with 10,191 personnel assigned. As fire seasons become more severe, the need for and efficacy of fuels treatments becomes clearer.
The Forest Service’s land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, which includes reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. A healthy forest is a resilient forest that undergoes fire occurrences on a regular basis. The Cibola NF & NGs works with partners, collaborators, and communities to clearly identify objectives and address concerns during the planning process for prescribed fires.
The Cibola NF & NGs manages prescribed fires in compliance with New Mexico state regulations on air quality and smoke management. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Enviromental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website.
The Forest Service mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
All fire updates will be posted on the Cibola NF & NGs website, New Mexico Fire Information website, Cibola NF & NGs Facebook & Cibola NF & NGs Twitter pages.
For more information contact:
Magdalena Ranger District Office: 575-854-2281
Mountainair Ranger District Office: 505-847-2990
Mt. Taylor Ranger District Office: 505-287-8833
Sandia Ranger District Office: 505-281-3304
Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Supervisor’s Office: 505-346-3900
NM Fire Info 
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