Prescribed Fire Near Canjilon Continues Today

Canjilon, N.M., May 18, 2024 @ 9 a.m. — Fire officials determined that yesterday’s weather was the most advantageous to begin ignitions on the Montoya Prescribed Fire near Canjilon. Firing operations went well throughout the day, and they achieved 835-acres of the proposed total 899-acre unit.

Today, firefighters will continue to monitor and hold the fire within the existing perimeter. If the conditions are right, crews will burn a few small areas to clean up yesterday’s burn. Fire operations are supported by the Carson Hotshot Crew, a Red River Fire Department engine, 5 Forest Service engines and a Type 3 helicopter. Fire officials decided to not burn the remaining 64-acres at this time.

The area in and around the burn remains open, but locals and visitors are asked to take caution when entering a recently burned area. Smoke will remain visible throughout the weekend and into the beginning of the week from the interior smoldering pockets of unburned fuels. Motorists should slow down when in the area and around firefighters or apparatuses.

This morning smoke settled into the Piedra Lumbre area near Abiquiu Lake and Ghost Ranch. The smoke had minimal impacts to Highway 84. Smoke may remain visible from Canjilon, El Rito, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, Espanola, and Taos today. Find the latest air quality for your area at, Fire and Smoke Map (www.airnow.gov).

Sunny skies will give way to partly cloudy conditions by this afternoon with temps in the mid-70’s, humidity of 15 -19% and a chance of sprinkles. Light winds will become southwest 6 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Tonight, mostly cloudy skies with a chance of sprinkles, temps in the mid-40’s and humidity in the low-40’s. Mostly sunny skies will return tomorrow with temps from 68 – 72, humidity 11 -15% and variable winds. Ventilation rates are expected to remain excellent into next week.

A map that shows how the Montoya Unit fits into the bigger picture within the Canjilon Wildland Urban Interface Project is available online. The Canjilon project is part of the 3.8 million-acre Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project, which supports the National Wildfire Crisis Strategy.

The public can learn more information about this prescribed fire on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and Carson National Forest social media channels (Facebook, X).