Prescribed burns continue on Smokey Bear Ranger District

RUIDOSO, New Mexico, September 14, 2023 – Continued prescribed burns on the Smokey Bear Ranger District in the Lincoln National Forest will tentatively begin on September 18, as part of ongoing forest management and wildfire mitigation efforts on the Forest.

Crews will be working in areas located near Grindstone Lake.  Pile burning will begin in the eastern portion of the area, near Sawmill and Carrizo Canyons, and continuing to other areas as possible.

The Grindstone Lake Piles area is approximately 836 acres. Crews will be focusing on pre-assembled burn piles.

Prescribed burns are key in the removal and clearing of flammable fuels in a closely watched and setting.  This will allow the Forest Service to continue to mitigate wildfire risk and create a healthier forest.

Residents and visitors in the vicinity of the burns can expect smoky conditions during and in the days following the event. Smoke will be visible in Ruidoso and on the Mescalero Reservation, as well as from area recreational and camp areas.

Weather, moisture, and ground conditions will be closely monitored before, during, and following the burns, and operations will cease or be cancelled on short notice if it is determined that conditions are not optimal.

The Lincoln National Forest land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape.

For more updates and information, please visit the Lincoln National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln, or follow us on Twitter: @LincolnUSForest.