The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning a prescribed burn at the Dripping Springs Natural Area near Las Cruces, N.M. The Dripping Springs prescribed burn is planned for the week of Feb. 27 through March 3. During this week, Fire Management crews monitor daily weather to decide which date the burn will take place.  […]

The burn boss canceled today’s plan to ignite the remaining Willow Piles. Fire crew members cannot make safe access due to the winter storm. The burn boss will look for another day when conditions are suitable.

With more winter storms hitting Northern New Mexico, fire crews are planning to continue ignitions on the Willow Piles Prescribed Fire project on Wed., Feb. 15. A fresh layer of snow has fallen and breezy winds will help loft and disperse smoke. Piles from 150 acres of forest thinning remain on site and would be […]

Sandia Ranger District ALBUQUERQUE, NM – February 13, 2023 – The Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands has postponed the Sulphur Canyon prescribed fire pile burning due to forecast weather conditions that are outside of prescription criteria. Pending agency administrator approval and conditions within the ranges outlined in burn plan, […]

Due to a lack of suitable weather and fuels conditions, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Socorro Field Office rescheduled plans to burn piles of juniper and piñon cuttings in three locations in Catron County. Weather permitting, the burns will now take place between now and April 15, 2023.  The BLM created the piles as […]

70 percent of piles on the Willow Piles Prescribed Fire project were successfully ignited Thursday. A fresh layer of snow and weather worked to the crew’s advantage, adding more moisture to the area and ventilating the smoke, lofting and dispersing it. Fire crews will not continue ignitions on Fri., Feb. 10, due to unfavorable conditions; […]

Carson National Forest fire crews began ignitions on the Willow Piles Prescribed Fire at about 10:15 a.m. Numerous large piles of debris from 500 acres of thinning will continue to be ignited throughout the day and potentially into the weekend if conditions are favorable. The burn boss conducted an on-site review of all requirements, including […]

Pile Burning Operations Continue ALBUQUERQUE, NM – February 9, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews will continue prescribed fire operations as early as Tues. Feb 14 on the Sulphur unit of the Sandia Ranger District. The pile burn area is located in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of […]

Fire crews are planning to begin the Willow Piles Prescribed Fire on Thu., Feb. 9. The plan was determined after a meeting between fire staff and meteorologists on Tue., Feb. 7. Impacts from any smoke are expected to be moderated due to an incoming weather system. Light winds out of the north and northwest will […]

Fire crews are waiting for improved conditions to begin ignitions on the Willow Piles Prescribed Fire located near Hopewell Lake on the Tres Piedras Ranger District. Current weather modeling shows low chances of smoke ventilation tomorrow (Feb. 7), the first day of potential ignitions. Another update will be posted after fire management leadership meets with […]

Pile burning operations continue ALBUQUERQUE, NM – February 1, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are continuing prescribed fire operations today on the Sulphur unit of the Sandia Ranger District. The pile burn area is located in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. […]

The pile burns planned for today in La Luz Canyon are canceled due to poor ventilation. Fire managers will wait for a better day for optimal smoke dispersion.

Pile burning to occur in La Luz Canyon CLOUDCROFT, NM, Feb. 1, 2023 – Fire managers on the Sacramento Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest are planning to continue prescribed fire operations on the West Side Piles project in La Luz Canyon today. Today’s ignitions on one acre of piles will complete the 147-acre project. The […]

Pile Burning on Mountainair & Sandia Ranger Districts ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 30, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing this week to strategically implement two prescribed fires within the Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts. Prescribed fires are utilized to remove hazardous fuels, return nutrients to the soil and improve […]

Carson National Forest fire crews are preparing to resume prescribed fire operations this winter to reduce hazardous fuels in advance of warmer, drier weather. The Willow Piles Prescribed Fire, which would only move forward pending suitable conditions, is the first such for the Carson National Forest after the USDA Forest Service National Prescribed Fire Review was released […]

Pile burning starting as early as Jan 31 ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 26, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing this month to strategically implement 8 acres of piles within the Capilla Fuels Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains. The pile burn area is located near the Red […]

Pile burning starting as early as Jan 30 ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 24, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing this month to strategically implement 100 acres of piles within the Sulphur unit under the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is located in the Sandia east mountains, […]

For Immediate Release: 1/17/2023 Glorieta Camps, The Nature Conservancy’s Rio Grande Water Fund and the Forest Stewards Guild plan to take advantage of favorable conditions on Jan. 19th, including snow levels, air quality, wind direction, and weather forecasts, and initiate prescribed pile burning at Glorieta Camps. This is the first of ongoing burns throughout the winter when conditions […]

Mt Taylor, Magdalena, Mountainair, Sandia, Black Kettle and Kiowa Rita Blanca Ranger Districts ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Jan. 10, 2023 – Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing this week to strategically implement multiple prescribed fires across the forest and grasslands to reduce hazardous fuels in advance of warmer, drier weather and pending […]