Pile burning planned in Española Ranger District

Favorable weather conditions in place for hazardous fuels reduction work

Santa Fe National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations as early as Tuesday January 27 in the Española Ranger District, pending all required approvals.  

Pile burning is meant to treat slash, like branches, piled by thinning crews with the aim of reducing flammable fuels. The decision to proceed with each pile burn will depend on multiple factors, including snowpack, air quality, ventilation, forecast weather and wind, and resource availability. We use prescribed fire to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires. 

The following projects are tentatively planned: 

• Tesuque Piles – 435 acres located north of Santa Fe, N.M. near Hyde Park Road and Forest Road 102. Project work is visible from Ski Santa Fe.  Smoke may be visible from Santa Fe, Ski Santa Fe, and Española.  
• Hyde Park North Ridge Piles – 42 acres located north of Black Canyon Campground. Ignitions are planned for 2 to 3 days. Smoke may be visible from Santa Fe, Ski Santa Fe, and Española.    
• Thompson Ridge Piles: 146 acres located in Santa Fe, N.M. near McClure Reservoir. Ignitions are planned for 2 to 3 days. Smoke may be visible from Santa Fe, the Interstate 25 corridor, and the community of Cañada de los Alamos.  

The area may close to the public for several days for safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns.  

Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burn. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road. 

We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled. Not all project units may be ignited. Snow conditions will inform project implementation.  

Once prescribed fire projects are complete, resources will shift towards patrolling and monitoring burn units, according to the burn plan. Fire crews will utilize infrared detection devices, such as handheld thermal cameras and Uncrewed Aerial Systems (fixed-wing or drones), to assist in determining when to call the pile burns out.  

Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through the forest website, social media channels, and InciWeb, the interagency incident information system. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.   

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. 

 ### 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.