Forest Service News Release

Frijoles Fire Evening Update
August 12, 2026

Start Date: August 4, 2026                                              Cause: Lightning                     

Size: 7,794 acres                                                                     Containment: 1%

Fuels: Ponderosa Timber, dead & down.                              Strategy: Full suppression                                                                                               

Location: Steep terrain 5 miles west of Sierra Mosca, 2 miles southeast of Cundiyo, NM. The fire is in the Espanola Ranger District within the boundaries of the Pecos Wilderness Area.

Total personnel: 268

Operations:  Tonight firefighters, aided by a engine, will patrol the fire and continue structure assessment and preparation.  Initial containment line is nearing completion east of Cundiyo and GorhamScout Ranch.

Today, firefighters continued constructing bulldozer line west of the fire. In Cundiyo and the GorhamScout Ranch, multiple sprinkler systems have been installed and water supplies secured. Firefighters continued improving structure protection and preparation in Cañon Chimayo, Cerro Pinon and at GorhamScout Ranch, including devising structure protection plans, establishing water supply and sprinkler systems, and removing fuels around properties by hand and with heavy equipment.

Along Forest Road 424  hot shots prepared the road to use as a containment line, tying into previous fuels reduction and prescribed fire projects where there is less fuel. On the north side of the fire along Forest Road 306 a masticator, firefighters, and bulldozer improved the road to use as a containment line.

Firefighters are looking for spots where the thick, continuous fuels change to lighter, patchy fuels. In these areas, the fire may slow down enough for crews to safely work along its active edge.

Fire crews are working to minimize adverse fire impacts to federal and private lands, including watersheds, natural and cultural resources, range, and agricultural infrastructure while preserving landscape characteristics in the Pecos Wilderness.

Fire behavior moderated today on much of the fire; however more active behavior was seen on the northwest side of the fire.

The Incident Management Team is working in close coordination with Santa Fe County and Rio Arriba County, surrounding communities, and Tribes. Additional resources have been ordered and will arrive throughout the day.

Today at 2:00 p.m. California Complex Incident Management Team 8 in briefed and spent the day building their situational awareness by talking and strategizing with fire personnel who have been suppressing the fire since it was detected on August 4. They will take command of the Frijoles Fire Thursday at 6:00 a.m.

Safety: There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. On Tuesday, a drone incursion into the TFR posed a threat to the safety of aviation resources and impeded suppression efforts. The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the priority. 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!”

To facilitate safe and efficient suppression efforts the public is asked to avoid the fire area and the Santa Cruz Overlook Road and Campground.

Aviation operations in support of suppression efforts are occurring at Nambe Lake and Santa Cruz Lake. Please be aware of your surroundings while recreating in the area and keep a safe distance from locations that aviation assets are operating in.

Smoke: Smoke is drifting and settling along I-25, observable from Santa Fe all the way to Las Vegas, N.M. Smoke is impacting areas such as Eldorado, Glorieta, Pecos, Mora, and Los Alamos County, along with other nearby communities. For air quality information visit AirNow Fire and Smoke Map. 

Weather for the Region (August 12, 2026):  Hot temperatures are expected to persist with the likelihood of precipitation and amount of rain increasing as the weekend approaches. High temperatures will range from the upper 70s to mid-80s, with minimum relative humidity between 23-26 percent and overnight recoveries of 45-50 percent. Terrain-driven winds of 5–15 mph will become erratic and gusty near thunderstorms, with outflow winds potentially exceeding 35–45 mph. Lightning, brief heavy rainfall, localized flooding, and sudden wind shifts will be the primary weather concerns for fire operations.

Evacuations and Closures: Santa Fe County and Rio Arriba County issued evacuation status updates. Santa Fe County issued a “Go Status” update – Immediate Evacuation of individuals on Camino de Canon in Cundiyo. The rest of Cundiyo and Cerro Piñon have been placed on “Set Status”. Rio Arriba County issued a “Ready Status” update for the community of Cordova. Evacuation Shelter: For information call the Santa Fe County Fire information line (505) 428-3737

Changes to evacuation status can be found on the Rio Arriba County and Santa Fe County Fire Web page: https://www.santafecountynm.gov/fire & https://www.facebook.com/RIOARRIBACOUNTY

Additionally, the county issued a road closure for NM 503 between County Road 98 and State Road 76. Visitors are encouraged to avoid the fire area and use caution when traveling near firefighting operations.

The Santa Fe National Forest issued a Temporary Road Closure Order affecting FR (Forest Road) 306, from the intersection of FR 440 and Forest Road 306, West to the Forest Boundary and FR 306.

No closure order exists for the Pecos Wilderness, but with fire suppression happening in the Wilderness within the Española Ranger District, the public should avoid this area.

Fire Information:  (505) 407-5343 / 2026.frijoles@firenet.gov/fs.usda.gov/r03/santafe facebook.com/santafeNF/ x.com/SantafeNF/ nmfireinfo.com

Inciweb:https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmsnf-frijoles-fire

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the nation’s forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.