NM State Land Office and Forest Stewards Guild Announce Planned Fall 2026 Broadcast Burn in Black Lake, NM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2026
Contact: Megan Rangel-Lynch, 818-731-5944, mrangel-lynch@forestguild.org
Mark Meyers, (505) 946-7082, MKMeyers@nmslo.gov

NM State Land Office and Forest Stewards Guild Announce Planned Fall 2026 Broadcast Burn in Black Lake, NM

Santa Fe, NM – The Forest Stewards Guild (Guild) is partnering with the New Mexico State Land Office (NMSLO), The Nature Conservancy, Angel Fire Fire Department, Moreno Valley Fire Department, and a diverse group of collaborators to implement a prescribed broadcast burn on up to 400 acres of NMSLO land in Black Lake, NM south of the Village of Angel Fire in fall 2026. Ignitions are expected to start as soon as October 13th however, the burn team will select exact ignition days based on daily fuel moisture and weather at the site combined with future forecasts. Once ignitions begin, they will take place over 4 – 5 days with potential smoke impacts in Moreno Valley. The burn team is wildland fire-qualified and has decades-worth of experience. The team will conduct the operation under a reviewed and approved burn plan, working closely with local fire officials and following resource recommendations from the 2022 USDA Forest Service National Prescribed Fire Program Review. Plentiful resources will be on site to contain and patrol the burn to ensure it is secured within pre-identified control lines, until it is declared out.

The Guild and NMSLO have been partnering on forest and fire management for over 15 years and are committed to continuing this partnership. Six prescribed burns have successfully been implemented by the Guild and collaborative partners in this area since 2013, and this will be the seventh.

Prescribed broadcast burns are a vital part of long-term forest and watershed management in the Southwest. Many of these landscapes are naturally adapted to fire and depend on periodic, low intensity burns to stay healthy. Conducting prescribed burns during the cooler wetter fall season allows land managers to safely reduce the accumulation of flammable litter and branches (hazardous fuels) before the next fire season. This proactive approach lowers the risk of severe wildfires threatening nearby communities. In addition to protecting lives and property, prescribed burning supports forest health, preserves water quality, and enhances wildlife habitat.

The team will actively use emissions reduction techniques to minimize smoke impacts and will do so in coordination with local fire departments and air quality regulators. Potentially affected communities include Village of Angel Fire, Black Lake, Eagle Nest, and residents of Colfax, Mora, and Taos counties.

Learn more about fostering fire adapted communities and the Fire Adapted New Mexico Learning Network at www.facnm.org. More information on smoke, human health, and a HEPA Filter Loan Program can be accessed at https://facnm.org/smoke.

For more information, call 818-731-5944. For updates before, during, and after the burn, visit NMFireInfo.com
The Forest Stewards Guild is an equal opportunity provider.