Starting as early as October 24
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – October 21, 2024 – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) may implement the previously announced Capilla prescribed fire (RX) on the Mountainair Ranger District as early as Thursday, October 24, 2024.
Fire crews plan to broadcast burn 570 acres on the Capilla Fuels Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains located approximately 10 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County New Mexico. Map attached. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, Torreon and the Estancia Valley. Visitors to the Red Canyon Campground as well as the Red Canyon/Spruce Spring/New Canyon/Crest trails system may be impacted.
Fire managers will also look in the coming weeks to continue prescribed fire operations with 2,012 acres on the Espinosa-Barranco Wildlife Improvement Project in the Manzano Mountains, approximately 8 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County, NM. Map attached.Smoke from the Espinosa RX fire may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Abo, Scholle, Punta de Agua, Manzano, or the Estancia Valley.
Ignitions will depend upon agency administrator approval and conditions within the ranges outlined in the prescribed fire plan. Desired conditions will result in effective smoke ventilation and dispersal and help achieve the effects needed to accomplish the burn plan objectives.
The Cibola NF & NGs manages all prescribed fires in compliance with New Mexico state air quality and smoke management regulations. However, smoke may settle into drainages and lower elevations at night but is expected to dissipate as daytime temperatures increase. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the www.airnow.gov/.
Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires are intended to reduce hazardous fuels accumulated due to drought, climate change, insects and disease, and decades of fire suppression. Additionally, fire managers use prescribed fire to improve forest health, remove hazardous fuels, increase firefighter safety, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect communities and watersheds. Prescribed fires are designed to meet specific objectives and are always managed with firefighter and public safety as the priority.
Implementation announcements and updates on prescribed fire projects will be posted on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, , Cibola Facebook and Cibola Twitter sites.
