Kiowa and Rita-Blanca National Grasslands Implement Stage II Fire Restrictions

Reducing the Risk of Human-Caused Wildfires

Order Number 03-03-07-26-03

(Albuquerque, NM, February 25, 2026) –The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands has implemented Stage II Fire Restrictions per Order 03-03-07-26-03 on National Forest System lands, roads and trails within the exterior boundaries of the Cibola National Forest, Kiowa/Rita-Blanca Ranger District, as depicted on the attached maps as Exhibit A and B.

The purpose of this Order is to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires during periods of high fire danger and severe fire weather conditions.

This Order will be in effect on February 28, 2026, at 8:00 AM, and shall remain in effect until August 31, 2026, at 8:00 am or until rescinded, whichever occurs first.

The following acts are prohibited:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including charcoal, coal, and briquettes. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(a).
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three (3) feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of any flammable material. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(d).
• Possessing or using a motor vehicle off National Forest System roads, on all lands and trails, unless solely for the purpose of parking in an area that is devoid of vegetation within 10 feet of the roadway, or in areas that are designated for parking within developed recreation sites.  36 C.F.R. § 261.56.

The following acts are prohibited from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm:

• Operating a generator, chainsaw or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine for felling, bucking, skidding, processing, road building and woodcutting or firewood gathering capable of igniting a fire. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(g).
• Welding, or operating any acetylene or other torch with an open flame. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(h).
• Blasting or using any type of explosive. 36 C.F.R § 261.52(b).

The following persons are exempt from this order:

• Persons using a stove or grill that is solely fueled by pressurized liquid petroleum or pressurized liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuels.
• Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order), specifically exempting them from this Order or a written determination by a Forest Service authorized officer that a permit is not required under 36 C.F.R. § 251.50(e)(1) or (2).
• Persons operating generators with an approved spark arresting device in the area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three (3) feet of the generator.
• Any Federal, State, or Local Officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting resource in the performance of an official duty.
• Purchasers of Commercial Timber Sale Contracts will follow the limitations included in C(T) 7.22# – Emergency Fire Precaution Schedule – Table A, as provided in the contract.

A violation of the above prohibitions is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 16 U.S.C. § 551; 18 U.S.C. §§ 3559, 3571, and 3581.

Official Order 03-03-07-26-03 is posted on Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Alerts

Check the latest fire restrictions in your local area at: NIFC Southwest Area Fire Restriction Map

Further information regarding this Order may be obtained at the Kiowa/Rita Blanca National Grasslands District Office: 714 Main St., Clayton, NM 88415 (575) 374-9652, and at the Cibola National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico (505) 346-3900.

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.