Laguna Wildfire Daily Update – July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025 by SFNFPAO 0 Comments

Andrew Nordquist – Incident Commander

Acres: 16,634

Start Date: 6/25/2025

Completion: 45 %

Location: Located in the Coyote Ranger District, 8 miles north of New Mexico State Road 96 and west of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness.

Personnel: 164

Fuels: Oak brush, ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper, mixed conifer

Resources: 3 hotshot crews, 1 Type 2 Initial Attack crew, 2 suppression modules, 5 engines, 3 water tenders (2 support; 1 tactical) Helicopters (Type 3, 2 Type 1), 3 Dozers

Rio Arriba County Information: Due to growth on the Laguna Wildfire today, Rio Arriba County is implementing “set” status for the Monastery of Christ in the Desert and “go” status for Gallinas Ranch. These areas are near Forest Service Roads 151 and 434 within Chama Canyon where the Rio Chama and the Rio Gallinas intersect. Set Status describes being prepared for the possibility of an evacuation before a wildfire arrives. Residents should take the following precautions:

Create an evacuation plan for your home, family and pets
- Assemble an Emergency Supply Kit for each person in your household
- Fill out a Family Communication Plan that includes important evacuation and contact information
- Stay informed by following local media, local fire alerts, and county emergency notifications.

For more information about Ready, Set, Go statuses and what they mean, visit EMNRD Ready Set Go

Highlights: A Region 3 Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) has been ordered for the Laguna Wildfire. Firefighting crews, engines, and helitankers are actively suppressing a spot fire that was discovered yesterday outside containment lines near Laguna Peak. Additional engine resources are patrolling the wildfire perimeter. Two heavy helitankers and two air tankers provided additional support before strong winds began to surface. Intense downdraft winds from a storm caused the fire to spread east and northeast.

Smoke: Widespread haze will continue due to smoke from the Laguna Wildfire, along with fires in Colorado and Arizona. Air quality across most locations remains at GOOD to MODERATE levels, despite the recent fire activity. The area from Abiquiu to Espanola has experienced some exceptions, with impacts lasting only a few hours in the afternoon, but air quality has generally remained at MODERATE levels. As winds shift tonight and storms increase, we expect any impacts to remain isolated to communities near the wildfire. Overall, hazy conditions will continue, with most areas maintaining GOOD to MODERATE air quality throughout the weekend.

Weather: Humidity will trend higher the next few days as moisture pushes in from the south and east. This will also increase the chance of afternoon storms. Saturday’s temperatures were cooler than previous days due to increased moisture and cloud cover. Chances of wetting storms will increase Sunday afternoon and continue into Sunday evening, producing strong and erratic wind gusts. Otherwise, humidity recovery will be fair to good.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Please avoid the area while crews manage the Laguna Wildfire. Drones and firefighting aircraft are a dangerous mix and could lead to accidents or slow down wildfire operations. If you fly, we can’t.   

Closures: : Closure Order 03-10-01-25-09 is in place and includes all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within Township 24N Range 1E Sections 1,2,11,12,13,14,23,24,25,26 and Township 24N Range 2E Sections 4-9 and Sections14-32 and Township 25N Range 1E Sections 25,35,36 and Township 25N Range 2E Sections 30-32 of the New Mexico Principal Meridian within the Coyote Ranger District. The purpose of this Order is to protect the public’s health and safety during firefighting operations for the Laguna Wildfire.

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

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