Fire managers continue to monitor the remote lightning-caused Horsethief fire in the Pecos Wilderness. The wildland fire was discovered Wednesday, November 1 and is 5-7 acres. There are currently no evacuations or threats to communities or infrastructure from the fire. Located north of National Forest System (NFS) Trail 288 (Cave Creek) approximately 3 miles northeast […]

Fire crews continued work on two prescribed fire units this weekend, accomplishing 500 acres of treatment on one and postponing the other.  Alamosa Unit 1 (Rio Arriba County) InciWeb  Crews treated 500 acres, completing blackline around the 4,500-acre unit today. Blackining is pre-burning fuels along the control line, in this case roads, before interior areas are […]

Fire crews are back on scene of both prescribed fire projects currently in progress on the Carson National Forest. Here’s the latest. ALAMOSA UNIT 1 (RIO ARRIBA COUNTY) With an improved ventilation rate, fire crews are moving forward with ignitions on up to 500 acres. They plan to complete blackline around the entire 4,500-acre unit […]

It was a quiet day on the prescribed fire front. Here’s the latest on our two current projects. ALAMOSA UNIT 1 (RIO ARRIBA COUNTY) Fire crews on Saturday patrolled and monitored as the fire smoldered, crept and backed. Ignitions did not move forward due to weather and ventilation. They will return Sunday for the same […]

Efforts to improve and maintain forest health continue this weekend. Here’s the latest. ALAMOSA UNIT 1 (RIO ARRIBA COUNTY) Fire crews will return Saturday to look for opportunities with weather and on-site conditions to continue treating the 4,500-acre prescribed fire unit north of El Rito. Crews did not move forward with ignitions today due to […]

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 […]

Fire crews continued progress on the Alamosa Unit 1 Prescribed Fire today with 500 acres treated. Approximately 2,100 acres have been accomplished to date.  Crew members used drip torches to continue blacklining along the boundaries of the 4,500-acre unit. Blackining is pre-burning fuels along the control line, in this case roads, before interior areas are […]

Fire crews made significant progress on their first day of ignitions on the Alamosa Unit 1 Prescribed Fire. Approximately 1,600 acres within the 4,500-acre unit were treated.  Crew members used drip torches to put fire on the forest floor around the unit’s northeastern boundary before interior sections were ignited by helicopter. Low to moderate-intensity fire […]

After meeting with meteorologists to discuss weather and conditions today, fire managers are tentatively planning the following prescribed fire operations this week: Fire managers will continue to consult with meteorologists for both prescribed fires and postpone ignitions if weather conditions adversely change. Public information officers will post updates for both projects to InciWeb (Alamosa, McCrystal), […]

SANTA FE, N.M., Nov. 6, 2023— Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) fire managers on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District discovered a small remote fire in the Pecos wilderness on Wednesday Nov. 1, 2023. The fire was likely caused by lightning which occurred in the area Tuesday Oct. 24, 2023. The Horsethief Fire is approximately 3 […]

Who: BLM Socorro Field Office   What: Pile burn of juniper and piñon slash in three locations  When: Between now and Dec. 31, 2023  Where: Catron County  Why:To reduce wildfire risk, improve ecosystem health, improve wildlife habitat, and help protect local communities from wildfire  BLM plans pile burns in Catron County | Bureau of Land Management 

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 […]

Fire crews responded to a report of a fire off Highway 518 and near Tres Ritos, N.M. at approximately 11:48 a.m. Upon arrival, local department personnel saw flames rapidly moving uphill in mixed conifer stands on Carson National Forest.  Fire behavior and spread moderated greatly by late afternoon. Called the La Junta Fire, it’s size is […]

After consulting with meteorologists, fire managers are tentatively planning to implement a prescribed fire north of El Rito, N.M., as early as Tuesday, Nov. 7. Called the Alamosa Unit 1 Prescribed Fire, crews will treat up to 4,500 acres bound by Forest Roads 44, 44K and 725 and just west of the village of Vallecitos.  […]

The fire danger rating for the Mt Taylor Ranger District on the Cibola National Forest & Grasslands has been updated to HIGH. This increase only applies to the Mt Taylor Ranger District. All other districts on the Cibola NF & NGs remain at moderate at this time. The Fire Danger Rating is calculated by measuring […]

Fire crews completed another 45 acres of pile burning within the Taos Ski Valley resort area today. With 90 acres accomplished, all high-priority areas that would immediately affect winter visitors have been mitigated. The remaining 113 acres of piles will be treated at future time. The piles are the result of fuels reduction, mostly blowdown […]

Fire crews completed ignitions on 45 acres of piles within the Taos Ski Valley resort area today. Snow flurries occurred throughout the day as fire consumed piles and wet ground limited flames from spreading across the forest floor.  Crew members traversed steep slopes with drip torches, lighting piles mostly created from trees felled during the […]

Fire managers are tentatively planning to begin pile burning throughout the Taos Ski Valley resort area on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 29. Plans to start operations earlier this week were postponed due to a lack of precipitation.  Precipitation is likely Sunday afternoon, falling as snow by evening, according to the latest National Weather Forecast. […]

SANTA FE, N.M., Oct. 26, 2023—Crews continue to secure around the Rincon perimeter by eliminating heat sources within 60 feet of the fire’s edge. On Tuesday, Oct. 25 a helicopter flew over the area, and fire managers found all containment lines are secure. Six fire engines are on-site through Friday while additional fire crews will […]

SANTA FE, N.M., Oct. 23, 2023— Fire crews completed ignitions Saturday, Oct. 21, and secured containment lines on Sunday, Oct. 22, on the Rincon prescribed fire on the Coyote Ranger District. The Rincon prescribed fire involved 2,227 acres of hazardous fuels located on French Mesa off Forest Road 8. On Sunday, a helicopter flew over […]