Crews Readying for Ignitions along Hwy. 150 and near Peñasco and Taos

Carson National Forest fire crews had a successful day at Hopewell Lake Campground today, quickly treating piles from 25 acres of thinning (see above photo). Crew members will pivot to patrolling and monitoring the project until the fire is called out.

With the snow still falling this evening, crew members are planning to begin ignitions on the Highway 150 Project on Thursday, with new locations added on upcoming days.

The current schedule is listed below, but fire managers will postpone ignitions if conditions turn unfavorable.

Thursday: Hwy 150

• After treating about half of the 300-acre unit in November, crews will return Thursday to continue ignitions.
• They will initially target piles along the Wheeler Peak Trail, between the Long Canyon Trail and Bull-of-the-Woods Meadow.
• Crews will likely also burn piles off Highway 150 between the mouth of the canyon and Taos Ski Valley.
• Learn more about the Hwy. 150 Project.

Friday: South of Peñasco

• Crews will return to the Rio Trampas Project to begin addressing piles from 219 acres of thinning as early as Friday.
• All piles are located west of Hwy. 76, near Chamisal, Trampas and Ojo Sarco.
• The Rio Trampas Project aims to restore forest health and resiliency next to communities while providing fuelwood opportunities to the public.

Tuesday: North of Taos

• Fire managers plan to return to this multi-year project near Arroyo Hondo, Deer Mesa, San Cristobal and Turley Mill.
• This year, over 1,700 acres acres of fuels from thinning are targeted. Ignitions would take place over multiple days.
• Thank you, leñeros! 183 acres of the area were thinned by local community members as part of the Mayordomo Program, in which one-acre blocks are adopted out for green fuelwood collection.

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