New Report and Update on Wildfires
within the Mountainair Ranger District
Sand Springs Fire and Box Fire
Albuquerque, NM – August 5, 2026 — Fire crews are actively engaged in suppression efforts on wildfires within the Mountainair Ranger District that resulted from lightning strikes.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should avoid the fire areas.
Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease. The public is reminded that "If you fly, we can't!"
Mountainair Ranger District- Manzano Mountain Wilderness: Sand Springs Fire (Update)
Reported Date / Time: July 31, 2026 / 1538. Reported by Capilla Peak Lookout.
Cause: Lightning Size: 5 acres.
Location: Steep terrain north of Osha Peak, south of Capilla Peak and west of the Manzano Crest Trail in the Manzano Mountain Wilderness within the Mountainair Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.
Resources on scene: U.S. Forest Service – Cibola National Forest Engine 642 and Alabama Engine 651.
Strategy: Direct extinguishment.
Fire Behavior: Moderate spread potential.
Fuels: Timber and dead & down.
Operation: Firefighters are actively engaged in reinforcing containment lines and extinguish hot spots where accessible. Crews have been challenged by steep mountain terrain and rolling of burning material.
Smoke may be visible from Mountainair, Manzano, Punta de Agua, Torreon and westside of Manzano Mountains.
Photo attached: U.S. Forest Service photo of Mountainair Ranger District – Sand Spring Fire on August 5, 2026 taken from Capilla Peak Lookout.
Mountainair Ranger District - Manzano Mountains: Box Fire (New Report)
Reported Date / Time: August 4, 2026 / 2132
Cause: Lightning Size: 1/10 acre
Location: South of Red Canyon and Box Canyon Trailhead in the Manzano Mountains within the Mountainair Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.
Resources on scene: U.S. Forest Service – Cibola National Forest Engine 641.
Strategy: Direct extinguishment.
Fire Behavior: Low. Smoldering and creeping.
Fuels: Timber and dead & down.
Operation: Firefighters are actively engaged in reinforcing containment lines.
Residual Smoke may be visible from Manzano, Punta de Agua, Torreon, west of NM55 and surrounding areas of the Red Canyon in the Manzano Mountains.
Updates on these fires will be sent if fire behavior significantly changes to warrant additional information.
Weather forecast for Mountainair, NM (August 5, 2026) Today: Isolated showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Sunny, with a high near 96. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Thursday (August 6, 2026) Scattered showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. https://www.weather.gov/
About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
