ALBUQUERQUE, NM – November 16, 2024 – Fire crews for the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NG) have successfully completed a total of 12 acres of pile burning with yesterday and today's prescribe fire (Rx) ignitions within the 34 acres of the previously announced Sulphur Rx Fire Piles on the Sandia Ranger District. Fire personnel will continue to monitor the Sulphur Rx Fire Piles as a winter weather system is expected to come into the area tomorrow afternoon.

If in the coming weeks the Sulphur area receives more precipitation for additional snow cover creating optimal conditions for burning piled slash and woody debris from previous restoration work, fire managers may announce the possible continuation of ignitions on the remaining acres of the Sulphur Rx Fire Pile area.
The Sulphur Rx fire pile burn area is in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. See map attached. Residual smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty, NM.

The Cibola NF & NGs manages all prescribed fires in compliance with New Mexico state air quality and smoke management regulations. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website.

Implementation announcements and updates on prescribed fire projects will be posted on New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, Cibola Facebook and Cibola Twitter sites.
For more information on the Sulphur Canyon prescribed fire piles plan, contact the Sandia Ranger District Office: 505-281-3304 or Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Supervisor's Office: 505-346-3900.