Pile Burning in Taos Ski Valley Rescheduled for Oct. 29 

Fire managers are tentatively planning to begin pile burning throughout the Taos Ski Valley resort area on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 29. Plans to start operations earlier this week were postponed due to a lack of precipitation. 

Precipitation is likely Sunday afternoon, falling as snow by evening, according to the latest National Weather Forecast. Current windy conditions throughout the Taos area are also forecasted to subside by Sunday morning. Fire managers will continue to consult with meteorologists and National Weather Service spot forecasts to assess changing weather conditions. 

The piles are located in the lower frontside, lower frontside steeps, Minnesota’s and parts of the backside of the resort. They represent 208 acres of fuels reduction, mostly blowdown from the December 2021 snow squall. Other piles were created from hazard tree mitigation and trail development. 

With lower ventilation rates currently forecasted, crews plan to light a portion of the piles to limit smoke impacts. Ignitions on remaining piles will continue on subsequent days as conditions allow. 

Piles currently visible along Highway 150 and the Wheeler Peak Trail are slated for burning this winter. They were created from 300 acres of thinning as part of the Highway 150 Corridor Wildland Urban Interface Project. 

Both projects are in the Enchanted Circle Landscape and support efforts of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy. 

The public can get prescribed fire updates on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and Carson National Forest social media channels (Facebook, X).