August 19, 2025 
Mt. Taylor Ranger District
Vereda Blanca Fire Operations: Crews near the completion of mastication and chipping work on the north and east perimeter and will improve dozer line with further mastication. Pockets of interior fuels continue to burn and may be visible. Contained edge to the west and south are being monitored for any spotting. More chipping and mastication will be taking place tomorrow.
Vereda Blanca Fire Reported start date / time: August 8, 2025 / 0731
Cause: Lightning.
Location: Northeast Mt Taylor Ranger District near Black Mesa and northeast of Grants, NM. See attached map.
Size: 1,307 acres. Strategy: Full suppression. Containment: 26%
Fire Behavior: Moderate. Fuels: Pinyon-juniper and ponderosa pine.
Resources: Firefighters from the USFS, BLM and contractors are on scene with aerial resources. 144 personnel.
Values at risk: The Vereda Blanca Fire is not a threat to any communities, and there are no evacuations in effect.
Multiple sensitive cultural resources and potential wildlife habitat may be at risk.
Smoke: Smoke may be visible west of the surrounding areas of the Grants, Milan, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Cuba and Jemez. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov allows you to zoom into areas to see the latest smoke conditions.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should avoid the Vereda Blanca Fire area.
Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease.
The public is reminded that “If you fly, we can’t!”
Weather forecast for Grants, NM: (8/18/25) Showers and thunderstorms will struggle to develop through the late afternoon and early evening. Any storms will drift slowly and erratically, bringing abrupt wind gusts and light rainfall with them. Humidity will recover above 50 percent late tonight into early Tuesday morning. Similar conditions are forecast on Tuesday with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing in the afternoon while hot temperatures and light breezes prevail.
All fire information and updates will be posted on the inciweb.wildfire.gov, Cibola NF & NGs website, New Mexico Fire Information website, and the Cibola NF & NGs Facebook & X pages.
For more information contact: Kaleb Hoeft — kaleb_hoeft@firenet.gov — (505) 546-9429
NM Fire Info 
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