Sandia Ranger District - Sulphur Unit Piles
Favorable weather conditions in place for hazardous fuels reduction work
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – December 9, 2025 – The Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) has implemented prescribed fire operations today on piles within the Sulphur Unit on the Sandia Ranger District. This multi-day operation will continue as weather conditions allow and pending all required approvals.
Fire managers are taking advantage of recent precipitation, snow covered ground, cooler temperatures, and relative humidity recoveries that create suitable conditions for burning piled slash and woody debris from earlier forest restoration work. We use prescribed fire to reduce overgrown vegetation, this helps to protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from extreme, high-severity wildfires.
Sandia Ranger District Prescribed Fire planned:
Sulphur Unit Prescribed Pile Burn: 18 acres of piles within the Sulphur unit in the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty, NM. Map attached.
This area may be closed to the public for several days during burn operations for public safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas during burns.
Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burn. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. Smoke is expected to lift during the day, however, cooler overnight temperatures may cause smoke to settle into low-lying areas surrounding the burn location. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road.
Stay informed about scheduled prescribed fires through InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, Cibola Facebook and Cibola X sites.
