Helicopters Support Final Operations as Resources Exit Fireline Safely Acres: 482                                                                                     Start Date: Sunday, May 4, 2025 Location: 38 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                       Personnel: 173 Containment: 92%                                                                         Cause: Lightning Summary: Mop-up operations continue across the fire area, with crews now working to a depth of up to 100 feet where conditions allow. This effort […]

Ground Mapping Completed as Containment Increases Acres: 482                                                                                     Start Date: Sunday, May 4, 2025 Location: 38 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                       Personnel: 200 Containment: 77%                                                                         Cause: Lightning Summary: Ground-based GPS mapping of the Iron Fire has been completed, providing a highly accurate and detailed representation of the final fire perimeter. The fire has been mapped […]

Firefighters Begin Ground Mapping; Snow Lake Reopens for Public Use Acres: 637                                                                               Start Date: Sunday, May 4, 2025 Location: 38 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                 Personnel: 183 Containment: 45%                                                                   Cause: Lightning Summary: Firefighters initiated a ground-based GPS perimeter walk yesterday to improve the accuracy of fire mapping. While the effort is still underway, the northern […]

Reported start date / time:    May 11, 2025, 9:30am Cause: Unknown        Size: 7.2 acres Location: Mt. Taylor Ranger District – Zuni Mountains near Quartz Hill Resources: Mt. Taylor Ranger District, Cibola County Emergency Services, Milan VFD, El Moro VFD Strategy: Full suppression Evacuations: NO Evacuations are currently in effect Values at risk: Paxton Springs Subdivision, […]

South Peak Fire Final Update Reported start date / time:    May 7, 2025, 3:45pm Cause: Unknown        Size: 0.1 acres Location: Sandia Ranger District – East side of Sandia Mountains, East of South Peak Resources: Type 3 Helicopter, 2 Type 6 USFS Engines Strategy: Full suppression Evacuations: NO Evacuations are currently in effect Values at risk: […]

Fire Mapped While Crews Complete Containment Line Acres: 822                                                                               Start Date: Sunday, May 4, 2025 Location: 38 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                 Personnel: 182 Containment: 10%                                                                   Cause: Lightning Summary: Following several days of moisture over the fire area, an infrared (IR) flight was conducted to map the fire perimeter and identify areas of remaining heat. […]

Helipad Built to Support Fireline Supply Operations in Remote Terrain Acres: 901                                                                               Start Date: Sunday, May 4, 2025 Location: 38 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                 Personnel: 168 Containment: 5%                                                                    Cause: Lightning Summary: Two hotshot crews used direct line construction tactics on the fire edge and completed construction of a helispot yesterday. The purpose of creating […]

New Fire Start on the Sandia Ranger District:South Peak Fire Update Reported start date / time:    May 7, 2025, 3:45pm Cause: Unknown        Size: 0.1 acres Location: Sandia Ranger District – East side of Sandia Mountains, East of South Peak Resources on enroute: Type 3 Helicopter, 2 Type 6 USFS Engines Strategy: The strategy for the […]

Press Release – Tuesday, May 6, 2025 – Notification for Public Health and Safety Acres: 901                                                                                            Start Date: Sunday, May 4, 2025 Location: 38 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                                                                   Personnel:  156 Containment: 0%                                                                                         Cause: Under Investigation Summary: At 6:00 a.m. today, Incident Commander Marcus Cornwell and the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team […]

Wildfire reported in Gila Wilderness Reserve, NM, May 4, 2025—The Gila National Forest and Wilderness Ranger District are responding to the Iron Fire, reported about noon today in the Iron Mesa area of the Gila Wilderness. Driven by strong winds, the Iron Fire has grown quickly to 901 acres. The safety of firefighters and the […]

All prescribed fires ignited last fall and winter are now out. Fire crews have been patrolling and monitoring the fires since they were lit between October and January. While no fire or smoke has been seen for months, they used infrared technology, either handheld infrared cameras or uncrewed aerial systems, commonly referred to as drones, […]

Restrictions begin Sunday May 4, 2025 Due to elevated wildfire risk, the Santa Fe National Forest will implement Stage 1 Fire Restrictions forest-wide beginning Sunday, May 4, 2025, until September 30, 2025. The decision to implement fire restrictions is based on various factors, including the availability of firefighting resources, current drought conditions, weather forecast, the […]

April 29, 2025  Otero Fire  Update: Yesterday, crews were able to strengthen fire lines on the fire’s west portion and raise the Otero Fire’s containment to 20%. Further mapping efforts found the fire’s size to be 405 acres. Most of the fire activity was found on the southern portion of the fire, and today crews […]

The fire danger rating for the Sandia Ranger District has been updated to HIGH. Fire Danger Status on the districts of the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands:Black Kettle Ranger District: ModerateKiowa and Rita Blanca Ranger District: ModerateMagdalena Ranger District: HIGHMount Taylor Ranger District: HIGH (Stage 1 Fire Restriction Implement 4/18/2025 on Mt Taylor RD)Sandia […]

April 28, 2025  The New Mexico Forestry Division would like to update you on two wildfires that are requiring the attention of suppression resources in New Mexico.                       Otero Fire  Update: The Otero fire is estimated at 364 acres and is zero percent contained. The fire was discovered at 5 p.m., Sunday April 27 in the bosque area […]

FIRE RESTRICTIONS NOTIFICATION Silver City, NM, Apr. 25, 2025—With continued windy, dry weather and increasing heat, the Gila National Forest will move to Stage 2 fire restrictions on Monday, April 28. The purpose of the restrictions is to protect public health and safety, as well as National Forest System lands, resources, and facilities by reducing […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Notification for Public Health and Safety Silver City, NM — April 23, 2025 — With fire danger at very high levels and no rain in sight, the Southwest Coordinating Group has brought in a five-person National Fire Prevention Education Team (NFPET) to support wildfire prevention efforts in the Gila National Forest and […]

April 19, 2025  Rio Grande Fire  Update: Lines on the north and south divisions of the Rio Grande Fire held through yesterday afternoon’s high winds, allowing containment to rise to 60%. Fire activity continued to decrease, although interior heat was found in heavy fuels causing ember wash. Evacuations were lifted for the area. Today, some resources […]

April 18, 2025  Rio Grande Fire  Update: Response crews worked through the night on the Rio Grande Fire and were able to raise the containment percentage to 10%. Two divisions were established on the north and south sides of the fire, which had moved into the vegetation alongside the Bosque Farms community. Crews today will look […]