New Fire Start on the Sandia Ranger District

9 Mile Fire – October 18, 2023

Reported start date / time: Oct 18, 2023 / 9:55 a.m.

Cause: Under Investigation.

Size: 0.10 acres.

Location: Northwest of 9 Mile recreation site off NM Hwy 536 on the Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.

Fuels: Ground fuels.

Strategy: The strategy for the 9 Mile Fire is full suppression

Fire behavior: The 9 Mile Fire is exhibiting minimal fire behavior.

Resources on scene: Firefighters from the Cibola National Forest and Bernalillo County Fire Dept.

Values at risk: Forest Service recreation infrastructure. At this time, the fire is not a threat to any communities, and there are no evacuations in effect.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should stay away from 9 Mile Fire operations. The Crest Highway, Hwy 536, may be impacted by fire traffic. Area trailheads could also be impacted.

Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease.
The public is reminded that “If you fly, we can’t!”

Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Tijeras, Edgewood, Moriarty and Albuquerque / within a 50 mile radius of the 9 Mile Fire. 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) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website nmtracking.org