From: FS-Cibola PAO <SM.FS.CibolaPAO@usda.gov>
Date: Thu, Oct 22, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Subject: FOREST SERVICE NEWS RELEASE Cibola National Forest Prepares for Prescribed Fire Pile Burning on Cedro Unit as early as Tues. October 27 on Sandia Ranger District
To:
NEWS RELEASE
Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands
Cibola National Forest Prepares
for Prescribed Fire Pile Burning
Cedro Unit Piles - Sandia Ranger District
Recent moisture creates favorable conditions for hazardous fuels reduction work
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – October 22, 2026 – The Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) plans to burn piles on 15 acres within the Cedro unit as early as Tuesday October 27. Officials expect the project to be a one-day operation, as conditions allow. Fire managers are taking advantage of recent precipitation, cooler temperatures, and improved relative humidity, which together create suitable conditions for burning piled slash and woody debris piled during earlier forest restoration work.
Cedro Unit Rx Fire Piles: The burn area is in the Manzanita Mountains, south of Forest Road 462, east of N.M. 337. No closures are planned. However, visitors should stay alert in the areas of Coyote, Delberts, and Mighty Mule trails, as well as Forest Road 462 while firefighters are working.
Smoke may be visible from Interstate 40, Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty.
Residents may experience smoke during the burn. For air quality information, visit AirNow online or download the app. Smoke is expected to lift during the day, but cooler overnight temperatures may cause it to settle into low-lying areas near the burn. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns. When driving through smoke, slow down and turn on your headlights.
Fire managers will evaluate conditions in the days and hours before ignition. If conditions are not favorable, planned prescribed fire activities may be postponed or canceled.
Sandia Ranger District – Office: 11776 Hwy. 337, Tijeras, NM 87059 (505-281-3304)
Stay informed about scheduled prescribed fires through InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, and Cibola Facebook sites.
About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the nation’s forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.
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