Mountainair Ranger DistrictRed Canyon Campground Piles Prescribed Fire

Ignitions postponed – waiting for favorable conditions- January 22

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 22, 2025 – Fire management for the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NG) did not proceed on ignitions yesterday or today on the previously announced Red Canyon Campground prescribed fire (Rx) Piles on the Mountainair Ranger District due to unfavorable conditions for burn operations.

Fire managers will continue to assess conditions in the coming days and weeks to ensure they fall within the range outlined in the prescribed fire plan before proceeding with operations on the Red Canyon Campground Rx fire piles. A final decision to proceed with a prescribed fire depends on agency administrator approval, resource availability, and favorable conditions including fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecast weather. If conditions are not met, the decision will be made to postpone until favorable conditions allow for successful operations.

The Red Canyon Campground Piles Rx Fire project is 48 acres of piles in the Hazard Tree Mitigation Project located adjacent to Upper Red canyon Campground in the Manzano Mountains, approximately 12 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County, NM.

When ignitions are implemented, smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, or the Estancia Valley. See map attached. Generally, pile burns produce less smoke and burn with less intensity than broadcast burns across a larger landscape. Fire personnel will monitor the burn perimeter until it is completely out. Smoke may be visible periodically from local communities for the duration of the project until the burning vegetation is out. However, firefighters take measures to reduce smoke impacts as much as possible. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the www.airnow.gov/

Implementation announcements and updates on prescribed fire projects will be posted on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, Cibola Facebook and Cibola Twitter sites.

Mountainair District Office: 505-847-2990
Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Supervisor’s Office: 505-346-3900

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