May 11, 2023 
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – May 11, 2023 – Fire Managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) plan to conduct several previously announced prescribed fire operations on the Magdalena and Mt Taylor Ranger Districts. Ignitions are planned to start as early as Thurs May 11 and continue thru Sun May 14.
Ignition will depend upon agency administrator approval and conditions within the ranges outlined in the prescribed fire plan. Optimal conditions will result in effective smoke ventilation and dispersal and help achieve the desired effects needed to accomplish the burn plan objectives.
Crews are preparing for burning on:
Magdalena Ranger District: Durfee Bolander RX Fire: 2,151 acres on Unit 7 & 8 in the vicinity of Durfee and Bolander Canyon along FSR 476, FSR 220, 661A and 220X. Smoke may be visible from the communities of Magdalena, Alamo and Datil. See Map
Mount Taylor Ranger District: Redondo RX Fire – Copperton/Sawyer Blocks: 1,812 acres on the Copperton and 705 acres on the Sawyer units located 3 miles west of Post Office Flats on Forest Road (FR) 480 in the Zuni Mountains. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding area of Ramah, Gallup, Thoreau, Bluewater, Grants and Millan. See Map.
Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires are intended to reduce hazardous fuels that have accumulated due to drought, climate change, insects and disease, and decades of fire suppression.
With fire there is smoke, but firefighters take measures to reduce smoke impacts as much as possible. Fire crews use tactics such as starting early in the day and ending ignitions early in the afternoon to allow for the most ventilation possible throughout the burn. Smoke may settle into drainages and lower elevations at night, but is expected to dissipate by late morning, as daytime temperatures increase. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the www.airnow.gov/
Implementation announcements and updates on prescribed fire projects will be posted on InciWeb, and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, Cibola Facebook and Cibola Twitter sites.
Magdalena District Office: 575-854-2281
Mt. Taylor District Office: 505-287-8833
Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Supervisor’s Office: 505-346-3900
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