Albuquerque, NM – June 7, 2023 New Fire Start Location:  Upper Bear Canyon within the Sandia Wilderness on the Cibola National Forest. Start Date: June 7, 2023          Approx. Start Time: 1730       Size: .5 acres       Cause:  Possible lightning strike. Vegetation: Ponderosa Pine and mixed conifer. Resources: Forest Service resources responding. Strategy: Full suppression. Smoke may be […]

Acres:  46,293                                                                                    Location:  40 miles west of Winston, NM                                        Containment: 13%                                                                            Personnel: 125 Start Date:  May 18, 2023 Cause:  Lightning Fuels:  Timber, pinon/juniper and grass Much of the Pass Fire has moved into monitoring status. Patrols, lookouts, helicopters, and drones are being used to observe the fire’s progression. One area of concern is the Indian Creek […]

New Mexico has experienced a slower fire season than several in the recent past, yet we have still lost homes and structures to wildfires. While it’s not possible to predict the start of every wildfire, we can think about wildfire from our home’s perspective and take actions to reduce potential risks. Even the smallest ember […]

Acres:  45,043                                                                                    Location:  40 miles west of Winston, NM                                        Containment: 15%                                                                            Personnel: 139 Start Date:  May 18, 2023 Cause:  Lightning Fuels:  Timber, pinon/juniper and grass The last two miles of chipping has been completed along Hwy 59. Crews have been chipping fuels that had been cut while preparing for the burnout operations. Fire crews are patrolling […]

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – June 6, 2023 – Fire Managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) plan to conduct previously announced prescribed fire operations on the Magdalena Ranger District Corn Canyon Unit 2a. Ignitions are planned to start as early as Wed. June 7 and continue thru Fri. June 9. Ignition […]

Acres: 42,665 Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM Containment: 18% Personnel: 141 Start Date: May 18, 2023 Cause: Lightning Fuels: Timber, pinon/juniper and grass The last piece of the Road 21 preparation was completed yesterday after firefighters finished clearing brush around structures on private land. The 21 Road is now cleared to Snow Lake […]

Acres:  42,703                                                                                    Location:  40 miles west of Winston, NM                                        Containment: 13%                                                                              Personnel: 158 Start Date:   May 18, 2023 Cause:  Lightning Fuels:  Timber, pinon/juniper and grass Yesterday, firefighters worked to thin vegetation along the 21 Road west of the fire perimeter. In the event that fire moves to the west, this will improve the ability of firefighters to hold fire […]

Acres:  29,073                                                                                    Location:  40 miles west of Winston, NM                                        Containment: 0%                                                                              Personnel: 164 Start Date:   May 18, 2023 Cause:  Lightning Fuels:  Timber, pinon/juniper and grass Visibility over the fire decreased yesterday due to smoke and aerial operations were canceled. Cloud cover helped crews on the ground by cooling the fire area, reducing fire behavior, and […]

Acres: 20,207 acres Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM Containment: 0% Personnel: 160 Start Date: May 18, 2023 Cause: Lightning Fuels: Timber, Timber litter and grass Yesterday the operational focus was to burnout the area south of Hwy 59 and west of Beaver Creek, tying it in to the main fire. A helicopter was […]

Acres: 17,282 acres Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM Containment: 0% Personnel: 151 Start Date: May 18, 2023 Cause: Lightning-caused Fuels: Timber, Timber litter and grass Structures Lost: None The Pass Fire behavior has been low to moderate. This activity is characterized by creeping, with generally low flames length on the surface of the […]

MOUNTAINAIR, NM – June 1, 2023 – Fire Managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) plan to continue the prescribed fire operations that began Sunday, May 28th. Ignitions are planned to continue as early as Friday, June 2. Predicted favorable weather conditions have opened a burn window on Friday to […]

Reconnaissance flights today will provide perspective of entire Pass Fire Acres: 10,508 acres Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM Containment: 0% Personnel: 150 Start Date: May 15, 2023 Cause: Lightning-caused Fuels: Timber, Timber litter and grass Structures Lost: None Helicopter aerial reconnaissance flights are planned for early today. This provides an opportunity for assessing […]

Firefighters work in tandem with Pass Fire Acres: 10,105 acres Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM Containment: 0% Personnel: 147 Start Date: May 15, 2023 Cause: Lightning-caused Fuels: Timber and grass Structures Lost: None Ensuring public and firefighter safety leads the list of objectives for the Pass Fire. This requires a strong commitment from […]

Pass Fire continues to help achieve Forest Health Acres: 10,560 acres Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM Containment: 0% Personnel: 144 Start Date: May 15, 2023 Cause: Lightning-caused Fuels: Timber and short grass Structures Lost: None Firefighters continue to actively monitor the fire and are strategically initiating burnout operations as needed to protect Double […]

This morning, ignitions have started on the Chato Prescribed Fire on the Mountainair Ranger District. Ignition were dependent upon agency administrator approval and conditions being within the ranges outlined in the prescribed fire plan. Optimal conditions will result in effective smoke ventilation and dispersal and help achieve the desired effects needed to accomplish the burn […]

As Early as May 29 ALBUQUERQUE, NM – May 29, 2023 – Fire Managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) plan to conduct previously announced prescribed fire operations on the Mt. Taylor Ranger District. Ignitions are planned to start as early as Mon. May 29 and continue thru Wed. May […]

Weather and fuels conditions support achieving prescribed fire resource objectives RESERVE, NM, May 28, 2023 – The Gila National Forest, Reserve Ranger District is preparing to implement two prescribed fires beginning Tuesday, May 30, given appropriate fuels and weather conditions. The two prescribed fire units are the 1,931-acre Cold Springs unit, located along Forest Road […]

Greening up of grasses and other vegetation produces minimal fire behavior TRUTH OR CONSESQUENCES, NM, May 28, 2023 – The Pass Fire on the Gila National Forest, Black Range Ranger District has grown to approximately 9,804 acres since it was ignited by lightning strike May 17. The Gila Las Cruces Zone Type 3 Team, led […]

MOUNTAINAIR, NM – May 27, 2023 – Fire Managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) plan to conduct previously announced prescribed fire operations on the Mountainair Ranger District. Ignitions are planned to start as early as Sunday May 28 and could continue thru Wed May 31. Ignition will depend upon […]

Fire allowed to play its natural role maintaining forest and prairie ecosystems TRUTH OR CONSESQUENCES, NM, May 27, 2023 – The Pass Fire on the Gila National Forest, Black Range Ranger District has grown to approximately 8,261 acres over the past 10 days. The Gila Las Cruces Zone Type 3 Team, led by Incident Commander […]