Crews Wrap Up Pile Burning at Taos Ski Valley for Now

Fire crews completed another 45 acres of pile burning within the Taos Ski Valley resort area today. With 90 acres accomplished, all high-priority areas that would immediately affect winter visitors have been mitigated. The remaining 113 acres of piles will be treated at future time. The piles are the result of fuels reduction, mostly blowdown from the December 2021 snow squall. Other piles were created from hazard tree mitigation and trail development. 

Crew members used drip torches to light piles that were dusted with snow overnight. The fire consumed the piles and by the end of operations, smoke was drifting away from the valley. 

Today’s ignitions were conducted by numerous partners, including two new groups today. The All-Hands All-Lands Burn Team from the Forest Stewards Guild and members of the Carson Hotshots joined Taos Ski Valley resort staff, Village of Taos Ski Valley Fire Dept., Red River Fire Dept., Latir Volunteer Fire Department, Taos County Fire Dept. and other Forest Service personnel. 

Crew members will now monitor and patrol the piles until they are called out. 

Nearby piles 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 receive updates on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and Carson National Forest social media channels (Facebook, X).