For Immediate Release May 10, 2023 Contact:  Lisa Dittman, 505-285-4641 ext. 218, lisa_dittman@nps.gov Grants, NM – The National Park Service at El Malpais National Monument is postponing implementation of the Lava Fields Prescribed Fire due to changing weather conditions. Managers will re-evaluate implementation of the prescribed fire as conditions become more favorable.  The primary objective […]

Update 12:30 p.m. 5/10/23: The Las Cocas fire is now at 75% containment, with 58 acres burned. Resources are mopping up along the flanks and creating grids to check for hotspots within the interior. There will still be visible smoke in the area due to the increase in winds. Mop-up operations will continue throughout the […]

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Socorro Field Office, in cooperation with the New Mexico State Land Office, plans to conduct a prescribed fire on Chupadera Mesa east of Socorro, N.M., between May 15 and June 30, 2023. Because prescribed fire operations are weather dependent, the originally scheduled prescribed fire from earlier this year was rescheduled after fire […]

The fire danger ratings for 3 districts on the Cibola National Forest & Grasslands have been updated. Black Kettle Ranger District: Moderate Kiowa and Rita Blanca Ranger District: High (Rating Update) Magdalena Ranger District: Moderate Mount Taylor Ranger District: Moderate Sandia Ranger District: High (Rating Update) Mountainair Ranger District: High (Rating Update) The Fire Danger […]

Update 5:30 p.m. 5/9/23: The Las Cocas fire is at 60% containment. Crews are tying hand lines to established dozer lines, with a hose line set across the fire’s north flank. Any instances of slop-over have been mopped up. Tomorrow’s temperatures are expected to drop slightly, but the wind event is expected to bring gusts of […]

Update 2:30 p.m. 5/9/23: The Las Cocas fire is at 30% containment and estimated at 58 acres. Hand crews and a helicopter are using water to aid suppression. The fire is active in the interior and there is some smoldering on the fire perimeter. Wind speeds are from the west at 5-10 mph, and the probability of […]

Update 10 a.m. 5/9/23: The Las Cocas fire is at 30% containment and estimated at 75-100 acres. The fire is active along the south and east flanks but is still burning within containment lines. Temperature is 66 degrees and winds are from the northwest at 8 mph with gusts up to 15 mph. Relative humidity is 14%. […]

Update 9 p.m. 5/8/23: The Las Cocas fire is at 10% containment and estimated at 75-100 acres. Fire behavior is currently back and creeping. Dozer line is being cut along the south flank of the fire from west to east and pushed up the north flank. Currently, volunteer fire departments are digging hand lines around the east […]

The Las Cocas fire is burning just south of Guadalupita in Mora County. The fire was reported at approximately 5:50 p.m. and is running and smoldering through 75 acres of mixed fuels including grass, pinon and ponderosa pine. The fire was pushed northeast by 11 mph winds from the southwest, however the ridge line has slowed that […]

Update 10:30 a.m. 5/6/23: All lines held through yesterday’s wind event and through the evening. Containment this morning is 50%. This will be the last notification unless significant changes occur.  Update 9:30 a.m. 5/5/23: The Park fire showed no overnight growth after this morning’s reconnaissance. Acreage remains at 3,000. Today, crews will be focusing on […]

For Immediate Release May 3, 2023 Contact:  Lisa Dittman, 505-285-4641 ext. 218, lisa_dittman@nps.gov Grants, NM – The National Park Service at El Malpais National Monument is preparing to conduct a prescribed fire on the north side of the monument adjacent to Highway 53 between mile marker 65 and 68. The primary objective of this prescribed […]

Update 6:30 p.m. 5/5/23: This evening, crews continue to mop up along the fire’s edge and secure lines. The day’s containment strategies proved effective against the prevailing winds. Persistent interior pockets have begun to burn themselves out. Angel Fire and Cochiti crews will remain on the fire overnight. Containment remains at 40%. This will be […]

The Carson National Forest will postpone the Dorado/Cañada del Agua Prescribed Fire after reviewing the latest weather data and forecasts. The official National Weather Service forecast now calls for west winds 20-30 mph with stronger gusts on Sunday with potentially another period of widespread, strong winds next Wednesday.  “The weather was looking very favorable and then […]

Update 10 a.m. 5/5/23: The Big Tank fire’s containment lines held through the night, with patrols monitoring. This morning, the fire is at 40% containment and 1181 acres burned. State, tribal and local resources will continue to secure lines and mop-up along the graded line perimeter.   Yesterday’s activity saw the fire creeping, running and […]

Update 9:30 a.m. 5/5/23: The Park fire showed no overnight growth after this morning’s reconnaissance. Acreage remains at 3,000, and containment remains at zero. Today, crews will be focusing on holding secured lines through today’s red flag conditions.  Yesterday’s air attack and slurry proved effective in boxing the fire spread. The fire burned actively all day, […]

The Carson National Forest is planning to begin ignitions on the Dorado/Cañada del Agua Prescribed Fire as early as Sun., May 7. Firing operations on the 3,318-acre broadcast fire to the south of Tres Piedras, NM, are expected to last three to five days and may produce visible smoke from afar. Please do not call 911.  […]

The Park fire continues to burn south of Hondo, in Lincoln County, and is at zero percent containment with an acreage of 3000. It is burning through grass and pinyon/juniper fuels.   State, local and tribal agencies responded after the fire’s discovery Wednesday, May 3 at 11 a.m. Arroyos presented topographical issues with containment, but the […]

The Big Tank fire is burning east of Las Vegas, south of Highway 104, in San Miguel County. The fire is at 30% containment and has burned through 859 acres, fueled by grass and pinyon/juniper. No structures have been lost and none are currently threatened.   The fire was caused by lightning and discovered at […]

The Park fire continues to burn south of Hondo, in Lincoln County, and is at zero percent containment with an acreage of 3000. It is burning through grass and pinyon/juniper fuels.   State, federal, local and tribal agencies responded after the fire’s discovery Wednesday, May 3 at 11 a.m. Arroyos presented topographical issues with containment, […]

As snow begins to melt and temperatures rise, Carson National Forest fire crews are increasing patrols of the Willow Piles Prescribed Fire near Hopewell Lake. So far, some snow remains on the ground and no heat has been found.  “The change of weather is an action point in our plan for increasing patrols,” said District Ranger Angie […]