Pile burning starting as early as January 21
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 16, 2025 – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) may implement the previously announced Red Canyon Campground Piles Prescribed (Rx) Fire on the Mountainair Ranger District as early as Tues., January 21 through Thurs., January 23.
The Red Canyon Campground Rx Fire is 48 acres of piles in the Hazard Tree Mitigation Project located adjacent to Upper Red canyon Campground in the Manzano Mountains, approximately 12 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County, NM. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, or the Estancia Valley. See map attached.
Ignition start will depend upon agency administrator approval and conditions within the ranges outlined in burn plan. Optimal conditions will result in effective smoke ventilation and dispersal and help achieve the desired effects needed to accomplish the burn plan objectives. Winter is an optimal time to burn piled slash and woody debris from earlier forest restoration work since snow on the ground keeps fire from spreading to adjacent vegetation.
Generally, pile burns produce less smoke and burn with less intensity than broadcast burns across a larger landscape. Fire personnel will monitor the burn perimeter until it is completely out.Smoke may be visible periodically from local communities for the duration of the project until the burning vegetation is out. However, firefighters take measures to reduce smoke impacts as much as possible. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the www.airnow.gov/
Implementation announcements and updates on prescribed fire projects will be posted onInciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, Cibola Facebookand Cibola Twitter sites.
Mountainair District Office: 505-847-2990
Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Supervisor's Office: 505-346-3900
