Gila National Forest prepares for autumn prescribed fires

Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 25 August 2023 25 August 2023

Silver City Ranger District preparing for Jaybird, Mill, and Pinos Altos WUI projects

SILVER CITY, NM, August 25, 2023 – The Gila National Forest, Silver City Ranger District is assessing conditions in preparation for implementing the Jaybird, Mill, and Pinos Altos Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) prescribed fire projects.

The 2,600-acre Jaybird prescribed fire project is in the Signal Peak area, near Meadow Creek and Jaybird Canyon. The unit is adjacent to the east side of New Mexico Highway 15 from Meadow Creek Road to milepost 19. The project aims to lower future fire intensity, protect wildlife habitat, and reduce hazardous fuel loads in the area. Temporary road and area closures can be expected on Forest Road 149 (Meadow Creek Road) and NM Highway 15.

The 1,500-acre Mill prescribed fire project is located west of NM Highway 15, in the Sheep Corral area. It is adjacent to the north side of Forest Road 282 (Sheep Corral Road) north to Forest Road 876 and west to Forest Road 3131F. Temporary closures may be expected on NM Highway 15 and the Sheep Corral area. This unit was prescribed burned previously in 2010.

The Pinos Altos WUI project area includes the Gomez North unit in the Little Walnut area and Burn Blocks 1 and 6 in the Bear Creek drainage north of Pinos Altos, adjacent to the Continental Divide Trail. In total, 195 acres will be burned to reduce hazardous fuels loading and protect adjacent communities. The Gomez North unit received a mastication treatment to reduce fuel loading in advance of prescribed burning.

"Implementation of the Mill and Jaybird prescribed fires is limited to the fall and winter months due to Mexican spotted owl breeding season," said Silver City District Ranger Elizabeth Toney. "Prescribed fire is the most effective tool available for reducing hazardous fuels that threaten communities. These activities are coordinated with the State of New Mexico and comply with state air quality standards."

The Jaybird and Mill prescribed fire projects are expected to occur over separate 7-day periods between September 1 and February 28, depending on weather and fuels conditions. The Pinos Altos WUI projects are expected to be implemented between October 2023 and March 2024 as conditions permit. Future news releases will occur as project implementation dates approach. For more information contact Maribeth Pecotte at 575-388-8211 or Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.gov .


USDA Forest Service is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.