May 20, 2024 
Santa Fe National Forest fire managers respond to Indios Fire
Santa Fe, N.M., May 20, 2024—Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) fire managers were notified of a new wildfire start on Sunday, May 19, around noon in the Coyote Ranger District, located about 7 miles north of the village of Coyote, N.M within the Chama River Canyon Wilderness. A fire investigator will confirm the cause, but lightning was detected in the area. Firefighters were not able to safely engage the fire due to steep and inaccessible terrain. Firefighters have spent the last couple days scouting roads and gaining access to the fire area to locate potential control lines. The northern New Mexico Type 3 team has been ordered to manage the Indios Wildfire. Firefighter safety, protecting values at risk, and meeting the SFNF Land Management Plan for wildfires are the main objectives for the incident.
A helicopter flew over the fire perimeter Monday morning (May 20) and assessed the acreage at 150-200 acres. Resources on the wildfire include 1 helicopter, 3 engines, with additional resources on the way. The wildfire is most active on the northeast side burning within the Chama River Canyon Wilderness with currently no threats to people or property. Smoke may be visible in the area along State Road 96. There are potential impacts to some recreation sites within the Coyote Ranger District namely the Continental Divide Trail.
Fire managers are evaluating a variety of management strategies for the Indios Wildfire, which can range from full suppression to managing the fire to restore its natural role in the ecosystem while meeting resource objectives on the landscape. Wildfire management decisions are informed by several factors including firefighter safety, terrain, weather forecasts, past prescribed fire units and vegetation management projects in area, and threats to public safety and property. The fire is burning within the Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project an ecosystem restoration project that spans 3.8 million acres of forested lands and multiple ownerships in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. “Wildfires have the potential to decrease fuels and increase the health and resilience of forests. Fire is a natural and frequent component of the ecosystem in the area, and our team will look for opportunities to restore forest health when conditions permit,” said Forest Supervisor Shaun Sanchez.
Updates will be provided on the SFNF website, NM Fire Info, Inciweb, and SFNF social media pages (Facebook and X).
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