October 3, 2023 
Mt Taylor, Magdalena, Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – October 03, 2023 – The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF&NGs) fire crews are preparing to strategically implement multiple prescribed fires as early as October 16 to reduce hazardous fuels.
All prescribed fires planned and implemented on the Cibola NF&NGs will incorporate the guidance in the Forest Service Chief’s National Prescribed Fire Program Review, including using the most recent science and modeling, ensuring contingency resources are more readily available, integrating drought monitoring, increasing patrols, and completing a daily go/no-go evaluation of conditions. A final decision on whether to proceed with a specific prescribed fire on the Cibola NF&NGs will depend on agency administrator approval, 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 priority.
Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-dependent ecosystems and reducing the risk of high-severity wildfires. Fire managers use prescribed fire to improve forest health, remove hazardous fuels, increase firefighter safety, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect communities and watersheds.
Fire crews will be monitoring weather and smoke impacts daily using predictive services to make informed decisions and to determine impacts to the surrounding areas and communities. Fire crews take measures to reduce smoke impacts as much as possible by using 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 and dividing blocks into smaller units to minimize smoke impacts as much as possible. However, smoke may be visible periodically from local communities for the duration of the project until the burning vegetation is out. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the www.airnow.gov/
Exact ignition dates for each prescribe fire operation will depend upon agency administrator approval and conditions within the ranges outlined in the project burn plan.
Mountainair Ranger District – Capilla RX Fire: 616 acres on the Capilla Fuels Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains located approximately 6 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County New Mexico. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, or the Estancia Valley.
Mountainair Ranger District – Capilla Piles RX Fire: 13 acres of piles within the Capilla Fuels Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains located approximately 6 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County New Mexico. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, or the Estancia Valley.
Sandia Ranger District: David Canyon RX Fire: 621 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.
Sandia Ranger District: Sulphur Piles RX Fire: 60 acres of piles within the Sulphur unit under the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is located in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. Smoke may be visible from Albuquerque, Tijeras and Edgewood.
Mount Taylor Ranger District: Redondo RX Fire: 706 acres on Sawyer 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.
Mount Taylor Ranger District: East La Jara RX Fire: 1500 acres 7 miles NE of Grants NM smoke may be visible from Grants, Acoma, Laguna, Cubero and Seboyeta.
Magdalena Ranger District: Dufee Bolander RX Fire: 998 acres in the vicinity of Durfee Bolander Canyon along FSR 220.
Baney: 112 acres in the vicinity of Limestone Canyon along FSR 476. Smoke may be visible from the communities of Magdalena, Alamo and Datil.
Implementation announcements and updates on prescribed fire projects will be posted on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, Facebook and Twitter sites.
Mt Taylor Ranger District Office: 505-287-8833
Magdalena Ranger District Office: 575-854-2281
Mountainair Ranger District Office: 505-847-2990
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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