Santa Fe National Forest prepares for fall prescribed fire

Favorable weather conditions must be in place for hazardous fuels reduction work

The Santa Fe National Forest is planning prescribed fires this fall anticipating work will begin as early as October as conditions allow. Certified prescribed fire specialists use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation, protect local communities, infrastructure and natural and cultural resources from wildfire risk, improve wildlife habitat, enhance watershed health, and restore fire adapted ecosystems.

“We recognize that this fire season has been challenging for many communities. Your experiences matter, and we are committed to approaching prescribed fire with close coordination with state and local partners. We plan every prescribed fire under the right conditions, using the best available science and extensive safeguards and acknowledge that conditions may limit, or even pause, the work this fall and winter. Prescribed fire remains one of the most effective tools we have to reduce wildfire risk, protect communities, and improve forest health,” said Forest Supervisor Shaun Sanchez.

Type of Work:

Broadcast burning involves fire applied across a predetermined area ranging in size from an acre or less to tens of thousands, generally after an area has not received precipitation for some amount of time to encourage fire movement. Pile burning locations will be announced later in the season, when significant winter weather is forecast.

Broadcast burns are planned for the following areas:

Cuba Ranger District

• Golondrino Mesa – 591 acres located in Rio Arriba County.
• Sanchez – 864 acres located in Rio Arriba County.

Jemez Ranger District

• Holiday North – 293 acres located in Sandoval County.
• Holiday South – 1,706 acres located in Sandoval County
• Paliza South – 946 acres located in Sandoval County

Coyote Ranger District

• Cordovas/Poleo – 646 acres located in Rio Arriba County

Española Ranger District

• North Aztec Springs – 647 acres located in Santa Fe County.
• Blanco – 1,372 acres located in Rio Arriba County.
• West Agua Sarca – 831 acres located Santa Fe County.

Safety:

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

Smoke Information:
While smoke may be visible, the Forest Service works closely with air quality specialists and closely monitors smoke during prescribed fires. Prescribed fires are timed for best smoke management. Visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ for current air quality information. Please do not report these fires, as firefighters will remain on scene throughout ignitions and patrol afterwards.

Additional Notifications:
The Forest Service will evaluate conditions in the days and hours before ignition. If conditions are not favorable, planned prescribed fire activities may be postponed or canceled.

Stay Informed:
For current updates about the prescribed fire schedule, visit:

• Forest website:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/santafe
• Prescribed Fire website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/santafe/fire/prescribed-fire
• Social media:  https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/ and https://x.com/SantafeNF

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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