Santa Fe National Forest completes ignitions on Rincon prescribed fire

SANTA FE, N.M., Oct. 23, 2023— Fire crews completed ignitions Saturday, Oct. 21, and secured containment lines on Sunday, Oct. 22, on the Rincon prescribed fire on the Coyote Ranger District. The Rincon prescribed fire involved 2,227 acres of hazardous fuels located on French Mesa off Forest Road 8. On Sunday, a helicopter flew over the area and fire managers found all containment lines secure. Smoke will remain visible in the area temporarily as vegetation within the perimeter continues to smolder.

The fire will be monitored every day this week and an Incident Commander (IC) will oversee the fire until declared out. A fire is declared out when there is no visible smoke or heat detected. As part of our new strategies for implementing prescribed fire, infrared detection devices (such as handheld devices or drones) will be used to monitor residual heat invisible to the naked eye on the fire.

Objectives of the prescribed fire were reintroducing fire to the landscape, thereby decreasing the chance for high-severity destructive wildfires, improve wildlife habitat by reducing juniper in the understory which inhibits grass and forb growth necessary for forage, and protect sensitive cultural sites within the unit by maintaining a low-intensity fire. 

Prescribed fire updates are posted to the New Mexico Fire Information website and on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page and Website. For more information on the Rincon prescribed fire, contact the Coyote Ranger District at 575-638-5526.