November 14, 2023 
Fire crews are continuing to work two prescribed fires across Carson National Forest this week. Crew members are preparing for potential ignitions on Thursday in Alamosa Unit 1 while they wind down work on the McCrystal Rock Unit in Valle Vidal.
Alamosa Unit 1 (Rio Arriba County)
InciWeb
Fire crews are potentially planning to continue ignitions on Thursday, Nov. 16, when current weather and conditions, particularly the ventilation rate, are forecasted to improve. Crews have remained on scene the past two days monitoring and patrolling the fire, which has grown 150 acres since Sunday evening as it creeps and backs along the forest floor. The fire will continue to produce smoke that may be visible at times.
A limited number of portable HEPA air filters purifiers are still available for loan at the El Rito Ranger Station. Call (575) 581-4554 to reserve one before picking up.
A total of 2,750 acres of the 4,500-acre unit has been treated so far.
McCrystal Rock Unit (Valle Vidal)
InciWeb
Many of the fire crew members are currently demobilizing before heading back to their home units. On Monday, they continued to secure the 15-acre test fire site while conducting limited ignitions in and around McCrystal Campground, which was not treated in October. Local fire crews will continue to patrol and monitor the prescribed fire until it is called out. Light smoke remains in the immediate area around the campground and test fire area.
A total of 4,075 acres of the 6,333-acre unit has been treated to date.
The Big Picture
The USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy combines a historic investment of congressional funding with years of scientific research and planning into a national effort that will dramatically increase the scale and pace of forest health treatments over the next decade.
Both of this weekend’s projects fit into the strategy through large landscape-scale efforts.
Alamosa Unit 1 is within the Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project, which covers 3.8 million acres in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. It aims to improve the health of the Rio Chama and Rio Grande watersheds, among many other goals.
The McCrystal Rock Unit is within the Enchanted Circle Landscape, which covers 1.5 million acres in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where some of the highest risk firesheds in the nation are located. Projects in the landscape are designed to reduce wildfire risk to people, communities and natural resources while sustaining and restoring healthy, resilient fire-adapted forests.
(Photo: As seen from a helicopter, smoke rises from a test fire on the McCyrstal Rock Unit in Valle Vidal on November 12, 2023)
NM Fire Info 
Comments are closed.