Non-Local News Releases

March 19, 2025 UPDATE

Name: Ox Fire
Reported start date / time: March 18, 2025 / 1600 Cause: Undetermined.
Size: 4.3 acres Containment: 30%
Location: Manzano Mountains south of Ox Canyon on the Mountainair Ranger District – New Mexico - Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands. Approximately 5 miles southwest of the town of Manzano.
Resources on scene: 2 USFS Engines, 1 BLM Rio Puerco Module, Mt. Taylor Short Module and FWS Engine.
Fire Behavior: The Ox Fire is exhibiting moderate fire behavior within the fire's perimeter interior.
Strategy: Full suppression.

March 19, 2025

The New Mexico Forestry Division would like to update you on three wildfires that are requiring the attention of state, local, and federal resources in New Mexico.

Gail Fire

Update: The Gail Hill fire is estimated at 235 acres and is zero percent contained. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire was discovered at 3:21 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, and is located 2 miles east of Mayhill, NM. Resources responded and engaged the fire into the evening and overnight. They made good progress using hand line and dozers to create the beginnings of containment. Today, crews will continue constructing and enhancing fire line and mopping up around structures. Additional resources are still arriving. GPS will be used to gain more accuracy on the fire's acreage.

Reported start date / time: March 18, 2025 / 1600

Cause: Undetermined. Size: Approximately 3-4 acres

Location: Manzano Mountains south of Ox Canyon within the 2007 Ojo Peak Fire scar on the MountainairRanger District – New Mexico - Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands. Approximately 7 miles west of the town of Manzano.

Scientific Survey Indicates Government is Trying to Do Too Many Things

Albuquerque, NM – The findings of the 2025 Garrity Perception Survey (GPS’25) show that trust of state and federal government officials is at a record low and distrust is at an all-time high. According to the GPS’25, only 17 percent of New Mexico residents trust federal government officials and 19 percent trust state government officials. The scientific survey was commissioned by The Garrity Group Public Relations and conducted by Research & Polling Inc., both New Mexico firms.

“Trust in Federal government has been low since the inaugural 2011 survey, ranging from 14 percent in 2013 to 29 percent in 2020. The current sentiment about the federal government (17 percent trust) is likely driven by the fallout from the presidential leadership transition, DOGE and mass layoffs at federal agencies,” says Tom Garrity, president of The Garrity Group Public Relations. “The percentage of residents who distrust state government has risen from 35% in 2020 to 51% currently. The impacts of the legislative session may be a reason why residents feel this way.”

ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has scheduled a public meeting regarding proposed revisions to the Migratory Game Bird Rule. Members of the public are invited to attend this hybrid public meeting in order to provide comments.

• March 31, 2025, Albuquerque, 6:30 p.m.
  • Attend in person at 7816 Alamo Rd. NW, Albuquerque, NM
  • Register in advance to attend virtually 

The proposed changes to the rule, along with information about how to attend and participate in the virtual component of this meeting, will be available on the NMDGF web page.

Today, as we celebrate the luck of the Irish, we wanted to share President Trump’s unstoppable winning streak from just the past week. The Trump administration is our lucky pot of gold this St. Patrick’s Day, and America’s greatness is back in full swing!

Here’s a look at the highlights from week eight:

President Trump’s economic agenda came into focus as Americans saw needed economic relief following years of Bidenflation.

Consumer inflation “eased more than expected” in February, with core inflation at its lowest level in nearly four years — driven by a decline in airfare prices as Americans prepare for Spring Break.

 (Albuquerque, NM) – PNM is closely monitoring extreme wind and weather in New Mexico particularly in the East Mountains and Las Vegas areas for Tuesday, March 18, which could increase the risk of wildfires and weather-related power outages. Due to excessively dry conditions and large amounts of fuel, wildfire risk will increase across the region, and is expected to peak on Tuesday, March 18.

We remind all of our customers, regardless of where they live, that strong winds could cause power outages tomorrow. We encourage our customers to prepare for potential power outages, especially those who rely on electricity for medical equipment. We continue to monitor weather, and crews are prepared to respond to outages.

(Albuquerque, NM) – Alvarado Elementary School parents may be seeing big changes in their fifth graders as they learned energy savings tips from PNM this week. From unplugging unused video game chargers to turning off lights when they exit rooms, the PNM Home Works Program taught students about electricity and how to use it wisely at home.

The PNM Home Works Program delivers hour-long interactive classroom presentations in the spring and fall. These presentations give students an understanding of energy production and conservation through a mix of games, experiments and activities.