New Reports and Updates on Fires within Mt. Taylor, Magdalena and Mountainair Ranger Districts 062826

New Reports and Updates on Fires within
Mt. Taylor, Magdalena and Mountainair Ranger Districts
Ox Fire in Manzano Mountain Wilderness - Rivera Canyon & Foster Fire in Zuni Mountains
Trough Fire in Mt Taylor Mountains - Sawmill Fire in Magdalena Mountains

Albuquerque, NM – June 28, 2026 — Fire resources are actively responding to suppress multiple fires that may have resulted from recent thunderstorms throughout central New Mexico.

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!"

An infrared (IR) flight has been ordered for this morning for central and northern New Mexico zone. IR aircraft are used to detect new fires started by lightning when they are small.

Mountainair Ranger District- Manzano Mountains Wilderness: Ox Fire (New Report)
Reported Date / Time: June 28, 2026 / 0956. Infrared (IR) flight detected.
Cause: Undermined Size: est. 1/10 acre.
Location: North of Manzano Peak, southwest Ox Spring in the Manzano Mountain Wilderness within the Mountainair Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.

Resources Responding: U.S. Forest Service – Cibola National Forest Engine 642 and Winema Engine 622 and aerial support.

Strategy: Direct extinguishment.

Smoke may be visible from Manzano, Punta de Agua, Torreon, Estancia Valley. and the surrounding areas of the east Manzano Mountains.

Mt. Taylor Ranger District- Zuni Mountains: Rivera Canyon Fire (New Report)

Reported Date / Time: June 27, 2026 / 1757 Cause: Lightning. Size: 4 acres.
Location: Rivera Canyon in southeast Zuni Mountains, west of FSR 50 and north of NM 53 on the Mt. Taylor Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.

Resources on scene: U.S. Forest Service – Alabama Engine 651 and Cascade Wildland Fire Module.

Operation: No new fire growth from yesterday's response. Firefighters are reinforcing containment lines and continuing to extinguish interior hot spots.
Strategy: Direct extinguishment.

Smoke may be visible, north of NM 53, west of FSR 50, west of Grants and Milan, NM and the surrounding areas of the southeast Zuni Mountains.

Mt. Taylor Ranger District- Zuni Mountains: Foster Fire (Final Update)

Reported Date / Time: June 25, 2026 / 1837 Cause: Lightning. Size: 1 acre.
Containment: 100%
Location: Foster Canyon in northeast Zuni Mountains and east of McKenzie Ridge on the Mt. Taylor Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.

Operation: Monitoring status.

Mt. Taylor Ranger District- Mt. Taylor Mountains: Trough Fire (Update)

Reported Date / Time: June 26, 2026 / 1747 Cause: Lightning. Size: 1/10 acre.
Location: Southern Mt. Taylor Mountains on the Mt. Taylor Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest.

Resources Responding: U.S. Forest Service – Cibola National Forest Engine 623 and Pike Engine E610-2.

Operation: Firefighters are reinforcing containment lines and continuing to extinguish interior hot spots.

Strategy: Direct extinguishment.

Smoke may be visible, from northeast of Grants, NM and north I-40 in the surrounding areas of the southeast Mt. Taylor Mountains.

Magdalena Ranger District –Magdalena Mountains: Sawmill Fire (Final Update)

Reported Date / Time: June 26, 2026 / 1322 Cause: Lightning. Size: 1 acre.
Location: Remote mountainous terrain of southeast Magdalena Mountains on the Magdalena Ranger District – New Mexico on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands.

Resources on scene: U.S. Forest Service - Wenatchee Valley Rappellers.

Operation: Resources will remain until fire operations are complete. Aviation resources will continue to monitor.

Strategy: Direct extinguishment.

Residual Smoke may be visible southwest of NM60, Socorro, San Antonio in the surrounding areas of southern Magdalena Mountains.

An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/  allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Additional updates will be sent as new information is received.


Fire Restrictions remain in effect on the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands as previously announced: www.fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/alerts 
Mt. Taylor Ranger District: Stage II Fire Restriction Order 03-03-02-26-09
Kiowa/Rita-Blanca Ranger District: Stage I Fire Restriction Order 03-03-07-26-08
Mountainair & Sandia Ranger Districts: Stage I Fire Restriction Order 03-03-00-26-05
Magdalena Ranger District Stage I Fire Restriction Order 03-03-03-26-06.

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.