Broadcast burning starting as early as March 24 CLAYTON, NM – March 21, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing to strategically implement multiple prescribed fires on the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands to reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat. Fire crews are preparing to broadcast burn 1,900 […]

Albuquerque, NM – March 17, 2023– The Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands will be hiring for 7 Wildland Fire full-time permanent positions for GS-09 to GS-11 across the Forest. Vacancy announcements for these positions will be open on http://www.usajobs.gov/ from March 20 through March 29, 2023. Applicants can search announcements in http://www.usajobs.gov/ by keyword […]

Sandia Ranger District ALBUQUERQUE, NM – February 13, 2023 – The Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands has postponed the Sulphur Canyon prescribed fire pile burning due to forecast weather conditions that are outside of prescription criteria. Pending agency administrator approval and conditions within the ranges outlined in burn plan, […]

Pile Burning Operations Continue ALBUQUERQUE, NM – February 9, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews will continue prescribed fire operations as early as Tues. Feb 14 on the Sulphur unit of the Sandia Ranger District. The pile burn area is located in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of […]

Pile burning operations continue ALBUQUERQUE, NM – February 1, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are continuing prescribed fire operations today on the Sulphur unit of the Sandia Ranger District. The pile burn area is located in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. […]

Pile Burning on Mountainair & Sandia Ranger Districts ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 30, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing this week to strategically implement two prescribed fires within the Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts. Prescribed fires are utilized to remove hazardous fuels, return nutrients to the soil and improve […]

Pile burning starting as early as Jan 31 ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 26, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing this month to strategically implement 8 acres of piles within the Capilla Fuels Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains. The pile burn area is located near the Red […]

Pile burning starting as early as Jan 30 ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 24, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing this month to strategically implement 100 acres of piles within the Sulphur unit under the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is located in the Sandia east mountains, […]

Mt Taylor, Magdalena, Mountainair, Sandia, Black Kettle and Kiowa Rita Blanca Ranger Districts ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Jan. 10, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing this week to strategically implement multiple prescribed fires across the forest and grasslands to reduce hazardous fuels in advance of warmer, drier weather and pending […]

Magdalena Ranger District – San Mateo Mountains – Socorro County, NM ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Nov. 14, 2022 – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) plan to implement the previously announced Durfee Bolander Unit 7 prescribed fire on the Magdalena Ranger District as early as Tuesday, […]

Magdalena Ranger District – Socorro County, NM ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Nov. 8, 2022 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews plan to conduct the Durfee Bolander prescribed fire project on the Magdalena Ranger District starting as early as Nov. 13 and continuing through Nov. 20 pending suitable conditions. The project area is located […]

Magdalena Ranger District – San Mateo Mountains Albuquerque, NM, Aug 31, 2022 – An area and road closure (Order 03-03-03-22-03) has been issued for National Forest System lands as described below and as depicted on the attached map as Exhibit A, within the Magdalena Ranger District, Cibola National Forest, Socorro County, New Mexico. This Order […]

Bear Trap Fire – Magdalena Ranger District – San Mateo Mountains Albuquerque, NM, Aug 02, 2022 – An Area, Road and Trail Closure (Order 03-03-03-22-01) has been issued for National Forest System lands as described below and as depicted on the attached map as Exhibit A, within the Magdalena Ranger District, Cibola National Forest, Socorro […]

Reported start date / time: July 27, 2022 / 1335 Cause: Single Tree Lightning Strike         Location: West of Sandia Crest north of Sandia Tramway– Sandia Ranger District, Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs). Resources: Firefighters from the Cibola National Forest. Strategy: Full suppression. 07/28/22 Update: The health and safety of firefighters and […]

Reported start date / time: July 27, 2022 / 1335 Cause: Single Tree Lightning Strike         Location: West of Sandia Crest north of Sandia Tramway– Sandia Ranger District, Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs). Resources on scene: Firefighters from the Cibola National Forest and Bernalillo County Fire Dept. Strategy: Full suppression. Smoke may […]

Reported start date / time: July 9, 2022 / 1500 Cause: Lightening strike.        Size: 2 acres Location: 1 mile from Cottonwood trailhead, adjacent to Ojo Peak burn scar, west of FSR 422, Southeast Manzano Mountains – Mountainair Ranger District, Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) Torrance County. Containment: 0% Resources: Firefighters from […]

Effective Friday June 24th Order Number 03-0730/0731 Albuquerque, NM – June 23, 2022 – Monsoonal activity has increased bringing widespread precipitation across most of the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF & NGs). The fire danger level has decreased substantially within New Mexico. The Cibola NF & NGs will lift closures and fire restrictions […]

Unified command of Bernalillo County & USFS Reported start date / time:  June 16, 2022 / 1711 Cause: Unknown         Size: 30 acres Location: Carnuel Canyon. I-40 at Carnuel Exit, Bernalillo County, NM and Forest Service land.Road closures in place for west and east bound of I-40 and NM Hwy 333. Containment: 0% Fuels: Pinyon-Juniper and […]

June 14, 2022 Daily Update SOUTHWEST AREA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM TEAM 4 – AARON HULBURD – INCIDENT COMMANDER Acres: 312,519 acres Start Date: Friday, May 13, 2022 Cause: Human-caused, under investigation Containment: 47% Total personnel: 1,019 Location: 31 miles NW of Truth or Consequences Fuels: Timber and tall grass Highlights: The Southwest Area Type 2 […]