Forest Service News Release

Media Contact: Kaleb Hoeft

kaleb_hoeft@firenet.gov

O: 505-546-9429
www.fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola

August 30^th Update on
Whiskey Fire-Mountainair, NM

Crews go direct in New Canyon and a type 1 helicopter conducts water drops

Mountainair, NM – August 30, 2026 — Crews continue to make progress on contingency preparations around the Whiskey Fire. West-side crews completed brushing along the Comanche Trail and secured the trailhead while crews in New Canyon went direct with the fire, constructing line and putting out hotspots. A fixed winged intelligence platform equipped with infrared technology also completed a reconnaissance flight, providing firefighters with a more accurate assessment of the fire perimeter and acreage.

Reported Date / Time: August 21, 2026 / 1350. Reported by Capilla Peak Lookout. 

Cause: Lightning.    Size: 351 acres      Containment: 0%       Personnel: 132

Location: Steep terrain north of Osha Peak, south of Capilla Peak and west of the Manzano Crest Trail in the Manzano Mountain Wilderness within the Mountainair Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.

Fuels: Mixed conifer.       Fire Behavior: Moderate

Operations: Crews on the west side of the Whiskey Fire continue to prepare the Comanche Trail as a contingency line, clearing vegetation along both sides of the trail from the trailhead toward the fire area. This work is intended to provide firefighters with a prepared control feature should the fire back down the drainage. Crews have also secured the Comanche Trailhead by tying the contingency line into existing firebreaks. A grader is improving Trigo Spring Road to ensure access for emergency vehicles and firefighting resources. A line qualified archaeologists is surveying planned operational areas and road improvements to identify and protect sensitive cultural resources before suppression work occurs.

On the east side, crews continue constructing contingency lines along the ridgeline, tying their work into rocky outcroppings and other natural features that can serve as barriers to prevent fire spread. In New Canyon where the fire had burned over the ridge and into the canyon crews were able to go direct with the fires edge constructing line and putting out hot spots. A fixed wing intelligence platform equipped with infrared sensors conducted a reconnaissance flight over the fire, mapping the fire perimeter and identifying areas of heat within the interior. Information gathered during the flight provided firefighters with a more accurate assessment of the fire’s extent and supported development of an updated acreage estimate.

Sunday afternoon, a Type 1 helicopter arrived at the Whiskey Fire and began conducting water drops to support firefighting efforts. Thanks to the efforts of local county fire and water services, a helicopter dip site utilizing portable water tanks, commonly referred to as “pumpkins,” has been established in the desert adjacent to the fire.

Smoke may be visible from Belen, Bosque Farms, El Cerro Mission, Las Maravillas, Los Lunas, Manzano, Meadow Lake, Mountainair, Peralta, Rio Communities, Torreon, and Valencia.

Area, Road and Trail Closure Order in effect for National Forest System (NFS) lands surrounding the Whiskey Fire (03-03-04-26-18) and Cerro & Blanco Fire (03-03-04-26-19). Road closure barricades are on Trigo Springs Road.  Review the closure orders here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/alerts.

Weather for Mountainair, NM (August 30, 2026) Warm conditions are expected around Mountainair today, with highs near 88°F. Scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms may produce gusty and erratic outflow winds, brief heavy rainfall, and lightning. Crews should remain alert for rapid wind shifts and associated changes in fire behavior near developing thunderstorms.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. In order to facilitate safe and efficient suppression efforts the public is asked to avoid the fire areas and adjoining trails.

Notice: Privately owned aircraft and 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!”

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.

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