Prescribed Fire Update for North of El Rito and Valle Vidal 

After meeting with meteorologists to discuss weather and conditions today, fire managers are tentatively planning the following prescribed fire operations this week:

• Alamosa Unit 1: The 4,500-acre prescribed fire north of El Rito, N.M., is tentatively scheduled to begin Wednesday, Nov. 8. Fire managers were looking for implementation opportunities as early as tomorrow, but crews will not move forward due to near critical fire weather conditions in the forecast. Ignitions are anticipated to last at least two days. Learn more about this project in last week’s news release.
• McCrystal Rock Unit: Ignitions on the remaining 2,333 acres of this unit in Valle Vidal is tentatively scheduled to begin as early as Saturday, Nov. 11. Fire crews completed 4,000 acres in mid-October. Ignitions are anticipated to occur over at least three days. Learn more about this project on InciWeb.

Fire managers will continue to consult with meteorologists for both prescribed fires and postpone ignitions if weather conditions adversely change.

Public information officers will post updates for both projects to InciWeb (Alamosa, McCrystal), New Mexico Fire Information and Carson National Forest social media channels (Facebook, X).

Previous Prescribed Fires

Fire crews continue to patrol and monitor recent prescribed fires, including the Taos Ski Valley piles, Blas Unit south of Canjilon, N.M., and the previously treated areas of the McCrystal Rock Unit in Valle Vidal. Those activities will continue until the fires are called out.

The Big Picture

Both projects are part of the national Wildfire Crisis Strategy to improve forest health. Healthy, thriving forests are less vulnerable to extreme wildfires, which can risk lives and property and impact watersheds and wildlife habitat.