South Fork Fire  Update: The South Fork fire is estimated at 15,276 acres and is zero percent contained. Fire activity included crowning and long-range spotting, which increased the fire’s footprint from this morning’s acreage total. Today, response crews were able to directly engage areas of the fire’s footprint when conditions allowed. Approximately 1,400 structures in the […]

South Fork Fire Update: This morning, the South Fork Fire is 13,921 acres and zero percent contained. An estimated 500 structures have been impacted by this fire. Crews worked together last night to stop the fire’s spread and providing structure protection where they could. Currently fire behavior is creeping, but a concern today is increased […]

The South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire are burning on Mescalero tribal land, US Forest Service land, and the area surrounding Ruidoso. Both fires are being managed by Mescalero Apache Fire Rescue and Bureau of Indian Affairs. Complex Incident Management Teams are on order.   South Fork Fire Update: The South Fork Fire is currently […]

The New Mexico Forestry Division would like to update you on wildfires that are requiring the attention of tribal, federal, state, and local resources in New Mexico. The South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire are burning on Mescalero tribal land, near Ruidoso. Both fires are being managed by Mescalero Apache Fire Rescue and Bureau of Indian Affairs. […]

Update: Today, response crews mopped up a whole chain — 66 feet of distance — along the perimeter of the El Macho fire, bringing the incident’s containment to 50%. No visible smokes are showing at this time, but there are still points of heat in the interior. Crews will continue suppression efforts over the coming […]

Edit (3:20 p.m. 6/6/24): The start date of the fire has been updated to reflect the correct date. Update: The El Macho Fire was discovered at 2:06 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, 2024; it is located on private land eight miles north of Pecos, NM. Fuel types in the area include ponderosa pine and no structures are under […]

­­Update: As a proactive precaution, Lincoln County Emergency Services has issued a new Emergency Evacuation for the Villa Madonna Subdivision. Go is also issued for area off Forest Service Road 127A, also known as Upper Eagle Creek, off of Ski Run road and surrounding area along 523 Ski Run road. Please evacuate to the Capitan […]

Situation: The Oakmont fire continues to display smoldering in the interior, but as of 1:15 p.m., all lines have held throughout yesterday evening and this morning. Containment remains at 30%. The Sacramento Hotshots will be released this evening, after the end of their shift. Forestry Division’s Rio Grande crew will remain through the evening and […]

Situation: Containment lines on the Oakmont fire held throughout the day, despite high wind gusts, hot temperatures and low relative humidity. As of 5 p.m. the fire’s containment is 30%. Total fire acreage has been downgraded to 65 acres, following a re-walk of the fire’s perimeter. Bulldozers are continuing to strengthen the containment lines and hand […]

Situation: As of 9:30 a.m., the Oakmont fire is zero percent contained and a GPS ground-truth assessment has defined its size as 120 acres. Crews worked overnight to patrol the fire’s edges and to extinguish smoldering materials using available water tenders. Hand lines were cut by the Interagency Hotshot Crews on scene.   This morning, bulldozers […]

Date/Time/Situation: As of 8:45 p.m., the Oakmont fire is estimated at 100 acres, and zero percent contained. A Type 3 IC has been ordered to take command, given the amount of resources and situational complexity. Otero County has released the county’s resources for the evening to be available for tomorrow morning’s actions. All roads in […]

Date/Time/Situation: The Oakmont Fire was discovered at 12:28 p.m., Friday, May 3, 2024; it is located in Timberon, NM. The fire is burning in a mixture of pinon, juniper and pine fuels within a populated neighborhood with some structures threatened. The fire is exhibiting torching behavior, which means that it is moving primarily across the […]

Date/Time/Situation: The La Cuesta Fire was discovered on April 12 at 1:45 p.m. and is located just north of Alto. The fire is estimated at 25 acres and is burning on private land in grass and pinyon/juniper. Two structures were threatened; however the fire’s progress was halted at 3:16 p.m. and resources are now proceeding with mop-up. The cause of […]

Ignitions on the Aztec Springs Pile Burn near Santa Fe, NM are complete. The Forest Stewards Guild, The Nature Conservancy, and partners completed 107 out of 117 acres on the project. A heavy wet snow in the area allowed them to complete the burn safely.  The next 3 days of mild storms with colder temps, 40-50% […]

Ignitions are planned to begin on the prescribed pile burn in the Aztec Springs area on January 21st and 22nd. This burn is located east of Santa Fe and north of the Randall Davey Audubon center on Nature Conservancy property. The Forest Stewards Guild and The Nature Conservancy will utilize snowpack conditions to conduct this […]

The upcoming prescribed pile burn in the Aztec Springs area, conducted by the Forest Stewards Guild and The Nature Conservancy, was delayed due to high winds, but we will begin seeking a new window to implement after January 15th. The Forest Stewards Guild and The Nature Conservancy will utilize snowpack conditions to conduct a prescribed […]

Santa Fe, NM – The Forest Stewards Guild and The Nature Conservancy will utilize snowy conditions to conduct a prescribed pile burn on Nature Conservancy land this winter on up to 120 acres located just east of Santa Fe, NM beginning as soon as 1/8/24 and continuing throughout the winter as conditions allow.  The area […]

Today in Santa Rosa, fire crews led by the New Mexico Forestry Division completed ignitions at 3:50 p.m. on the Blue Hole Cienega Prescribed Burn. They conducted mop-up and holding operations this afternoon and evening and will continue to monitor the area tomorrow.   As weather conditions proved to be within the prescription plan, crews initiated […]

Pecos sunflower treatment scheduled as early as Nov. 14   Santa Fe – The New Mexico Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s Forestry Division is planning a prescribed burn at the Blue Hole Cienega Nature Preserve, in Santa Rosa, to take place next week, as early as November 14, 2023.   Crews will treat 115 acres on the preserve, which is bound by Blue Hole Rd., Reilly Rd., State Highway 91, and El Rito Creek. The goal is to […]

Santa Fe, NM – This week, leadership from the collaborative burn team comprised of the Forest Stewards Guild, New Mexico State Land Office, The Nature Conservancy, and local fire departments decided to cancel the Black Lake prescribed broadcast burn for the fall of 2023. After careful evaluation of weather patterns, the team determined conditions did […]