Esquibel Prescribed Fire Final Update

Fire crews are back on the Esquibel Prescribed Fire for their last day of ignitions. They will focus on using fire to clean-up fuels on the unit’s boundary while interior areas continue to burn. This will be the last daily operational update for the project, but crews will continue to patrol and monitor the unit until the fire is called out.

Winds are expected to be 5 mph in the morning, transitioning to 10-15 mph in the afternoon, according to the latest National Weather Service spot forecast. Fire managers are also using a portable remote automatic weather station, as well as two permanent stations nearby, to closely monitor conditions on site. 

Yesterday, crew members, including the Forest Stewards Guild All Hands All Lands Burn Team, focused on interior areas and cleanup of previous work within the Esquibel Unit. To date, 2,476 acres have been treated. 

Residents and visitors in the area may observe smoke coming from the unit, as well as the Indios Fire on the Santa Fe National Forest. Check the Fire and Smoke Map for local air quality and use the Environmental Protection Agency’s smoke-ready toolbox for protective actions. A limited number of indoor air filter units, courtesy of the Forest Stewards Guild, are available on loan for nearby smoke-sensitive residents. Call the Tres Piedras Ranger Station at 575-758-8678 for availability. 

Fire crews are targeting fuels on the forest floor, such as leaf litter, downed branches and brush. The fire may fully burn single trees or stands, which will help create an open canopy. They are using recently greened-up grassland areas within the unit as holding features, along with Forest Road 83 and two prescribed fires from 2015 and 2021. 

Spring burning ecologically mimics historical fire behavior. Most fires would naturally have started during pre-monsoon seasons and burned through the summer until rains put them out. Spring burning helps give plant and tree species the best opportunity to bounce back after a disturbance. For grasses and shrubs, the fire kills the tops, but the roots are still intact because of wetter soil. The fire introduces ash, which has elements and natural chemicals that act like fertilizers. The first rainstorm of the monsoon season will mix with that fertilizer and prompt new growth. 

Public information officers will continue to post updates on InciWeb, Carson National Forest social media channels (Facebook, X) and New Mexico Fire Information as operations continue.