Non-Local News Releases

Highlights: Crews continue to maintain and improve containment lines on the Desert Willow Complex Fire. Containment on Cotton 1 has been raised to 80%, and Cotton 2 to 50%. The public should continue to avoid the bosque where heavy machinery and firefighters are working.

Update: Today, response crews will continue their work mopping up in the bosque. Mop-up activities include continuing to secure fire line, removal of hazardous trees, and tackling interior heat. As the day's sunshine moves over the area, fuels may become hotter as they dry. Within the Cotton 2 area, these fuels may produce small drifts of smoke as the embers contained in them begin to dry out following yesterday's rains. These drifts of smoke are not cause for concern.

Air assets were released yesterday from the fire, however drones should not be flown over the fire area to ensure firefighter safety on the ground during the coming days. The public should continue to avoid the bosque area while crews engage in suppression activities.

Good progress has been made by firefighters over the last days. At the end of today's shift, the Incident Management Team may consider downsizing for tomorrow and releasing some resources.

The Desert Willow Complex fire is 237 acres and is located in the bosque area of Los Lunas on the west and east sides of the Rio Grande, near the Main Street bridge. The fire was discovered at 3:23 p.m. on Saturday, June 21.

Returning to Homes: Phos-Chek MVP-fx was used as a fire retardant during initial attack and is non-toxic. Residents should consider using personalized protective equipment such as long sleeves, eye protection, and gloves for cleaning purposes. Use water to clean exterior surfaces and a wet-vac for any retardant exposure within the interior of the home. A safety data sheet about Phos-Chek is available here.

Community Information: Daniel Fernandez Center is available as a community service center for the rest of the week.

Donations are available for residents impacted by the fire. The Village of Los Lunas will accept monetary donations through a partnership with United Way: https://give.uwncnm.org/campaign/699958/donate.

Community information on the fire and services is available on the Village of Los Lunas website: https://www.loslunasnm.gov/1347/Desert-Willow-Complex-Fire-Information

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Farmers' Market Nutrition Program returns Tuesday, July 1, providing nutritious, locally-grown foods to income-based eligible seniors, Native American elders and WIC families. 

WIC Families must be actively enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Participants should contact their local WIC clinic to check their eligibility and access benefits. 

"This program gives people access to healthy, fresh local fruits, vegetables, herbs and honey in their communities," said Veronica Griego, New Mexico Farmers' Market Program Manager, which oversees the multiple programs covering all ages. "Healthy food makes for a healthier life and helps stretch food budgets at a time when every little bit helps." 

(Washington, D.C., June 25, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins published an opinion piece in the Deseret News following her announcement rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule earlier this week.

"Our forests need thoughtful management, not neglect. Under President Trump's leadership, we are changing course. We are restoring authority to local line officers, cutting red tape, and giving the Forest Service the ability to manage the lands effectively," said Secretary Rollins. "The Roadless Rule has failed. It's time to turn the page. Let's give forest stewards the tools they need. Let's unlock America's resources, protect our communities, and build a stronger, safer future for our forests."

Desert Willow Complex Fire - Update 6/25/25

  Highlights: Due to the hard work of firefighters on the ground, containment has been raised on the Desert Willow Complex Fire to 70% on Cotton 1 and 40% on Cotton 2. The fire received precipitation yesterday and overnight. The public is advised to avoid the bosque area where firefighters will be continuing efforts to extinguish interior heat and using heavy machinery.  

Update: Today, response crews will continue focusing their efforts within the bosque, as they secure the edges of the fire area and mop up interior heat. Road improvement activities are being conducted to ensure that the levy road is maintained. Hazard tree removal will be ongoing. Some trees do have smoke from embers lodged within their trunks or branches. At night, these embers may emit a glow. Incident management priority remains focused on community protection at all times.

Workshop set for June 25 ahead of July 31 proposal deadline

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LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) will open applications July 1 for its FY26 New Mexico Local Meat Processing Grant (LMPG), offering up to $3 million to support meat processors across the state.

A virtual workshop will be held Wednesday, June 25 at noon to help potential applicants understand the program. Registration is required in advance. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with meeting details.

Highlights: Yesterday's fire suppression activities brought increased containment for the two fires of the Desert Willow Complex.

Evacuations and road closures were also lifted, allowing residents to return to their homes. Today, efforts will focus on extinguishing hot spots in the bosque area, removal of hazard trees, and rehabilitation activities in the bosque. Containment for the Cotton 1 fire stands at 40%; Cotton 2 is 25%. Both fires' total acreage burned is 237.

Update: All firelines held overnight and today, crews will begin working in the bosque areas to extinguish any remaining hot spots. They will do this through a process called "gridding," in which firefighters line out evenly spaced and move across a burned area, inspecting for any signs of heat or smoldering vegetation. Today's goal is to secure all interior heat by the end of the shift. Hazardous tree removal in the bosque will begin today, which includes removal of fire-damaged trees. Only trees that pose a direct threat to public and firefighter safety will be cut down.

Desert Willow Complex Fire Evening Update 6/23/25

Highlights: A combination of decreased fire activity and further containment line establishment by response crews on the two fires of the Desert Willow Complex has raised the containment level to 40% on Cotton 1 and 25% on Cotton 2. As a result of this good progress, all evacuations will be lifted in the area. The fire's acreage has been lowered to 237 total acres due to further ground truthing.

Evening Update: As of 5 p.m. all evacuations and road closures are lifted for both previous areas listed as "Ready" and "Go" on both sides of the Rio Grande River. Residents in these areas may return to their homes.

Response crews will still be working in these areas over the coming days and residents should proceed with caution. The bosque area by the river is still considered hazardous due to fire suppression activity, and due to natural hazards such as fire-damaged trees, smoke, and heavy equipment use.

(Santa Fe, N.M., June 23, 2025) – Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced during a meeting of the Western Governors' Association in New Mexico, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule. This outdated administrative rule contradicts the will of Congress and goes against the mandate of the USDA Forest Service to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands. Rescinding this rule will remove prohibitions on road construction, reconstruction, and timber harvest on nearly 59 million acres of the National Forest System, allowing for fire prevention and responsible timber production.