[NMCCSC] NEWS RELEASE Prescribed Fire Projects Planned for Fall/Winter Pending Favorable Weather Conditions on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands

Fri Sep 26 14:40:25 MDT 2025

Greetings, Skiers and Hikers- Our *Cibola NF* is planning prescribed fire
projects for this fall/winter.  They are alerting us to visible smoke,
etc.  Rather than me gleaning out some districts, I am sending the whole
notice as we visit many outlying areas.  Map below.
Bet Gendron
Egroups Chair, FOSM member

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: FS-Cibola PAO <SM.FS.CibolaPAO at usda.gov>
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Subject: NEWS RELEASE Prescribed Fire Projects Planned for Fall/Winter
Pending Favorable Weather Conditions on the Cibola National Forest &
National Grasslands

*NEWS RELEASE*

[image: Forest Service Shield]

*Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands*

2113 Osuna Road NE
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/2113+Osuna+Road+NE+%0D%0A+Albuquerque,+NM+87113+%0D%0A+(505?entry=gmail&source=g>
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/2113+Osuna+Road+NE+%0D%0A+Albuquerque,+NM+87113+%0D%0A+(505?entry=gmail&source=g>

Albuquerque, NM 87113
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/2113+Osuna+Road+NE+%0D%0A+Albuquerque,+NM+87113+%0D%0A+(505?entry=gmail&source=g>
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/2113+Osuna+Road+NE+%0D%0A+Albuquerque,+NM+87113+%0D%0A+(505?entry=gmail&source=g>

(505
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/2113+Osuna+Road+NE+%0D%0A+Albuquerque,+NM+87113+%0D%0A+(505?entry=gmail&source=g>)
346-3900

www.fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola

www.facebook.com/cibolanf

https://x.com/cibola_nf

*Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands Announces Prescribed Fire
Projects*

*Favorable weather conditions must be in place for hazardous fuels
reduction work*

*ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Sept. 26, 2025 *– The Cibola National Forest and
National Grasslands are planning prescribed fire operations this fall, as
early as September 30th through December, pending all required approvals. *See
attached map.*
We estimate this work to continue through the fall and early winter as
weather conditions allow. Prescribed (Rx) fire helps reduce overgrown
vegetation to protect local communities, infrastructure and natural
resources from catastrophic wildfires.

*Prescribed fire planned as early as September 30:*

Mountainair Ranger District:

·   Pueblo Colorado Prescribed Pile Burn Units 1 and 2: Up to 722 acres of
piles in the Coordinated Resource Management Project in the Gallinas
Mountains in Torrance County, NM. Located Southeast of Willard and 15 miles
Northwest of Corona, NM Smoke may be visible from Willard, Cedarvale,
Corona or within the Estancia Valley.

*Prescribed fires planned as early as October 13 through December include:*

Mt Taylor Ranger District:

·   Monighan Prescribed Fire: 3,907 acres broadcast burning on the
Bluewater Project is approximately 27 miles west of Grants and 13 miles
Southeast of Ft. Wingate NM within Zuni Mountains of Cibola National
Forest. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Ramah, Gallup,
Thoreau, Bluewater, Grants and Millan.

·   Black Mesa Prescribed Fire: 11,506 acres broadcast burning on the Black
Mesa Wildlife Habitat Improvement Project 20 miles North of Grants, NM, in
Mckinley, and Sandoval Counties of Cibola National Forest. Smoke may be
visible in the surrounding areas of Grants, Albuquerque, Cuba, Jemez, NM
550, and possible I-40.

Magdalena Ranger District:

·   Ranch Supply Prescribed Fire: 2,890 acres of broadcast burning in the
vicinity of Point of Rock Canyon and along FSR 220. Smoke may be visible
from Magdalena, Alamo, and Datil, NM.

·   Durfee Bolander Prescribed Fire: 998 acres of broadcast burning in the
vicinity of Morine Canyon. Smoke may be visible from Magdalena, Alamo, and
Datil, NM.

·   Hop Patterson Prescribed Fire: 704 acres of broadcast and pile burning
units located 3 miles south of Magdalena and adjacent to the communities of
Hop and Patterson Canyon. Smoke may be visible from Magdalena and Alamo.

Mountainair Ranger District:

·   Espinosa Prescribed Fire: 2,012 Acres of broadcast burning located on
the Espinosa-Barranco Wildlife Improvement Project in the Manzano
Mountains, approximately 8 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in
the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County, NM. Smoke
may be visible from Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, and the Estancia
Valley.

·   Thunderbird-Barranco Prescribed Fire: 972 Acres of broadcast burning
located North of the Espinosa Prescribed Fire and south of FSR 275 in the
Manzano Mountains, approximately 8 miles northwest of the town of
Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance
County, NM. Smoke may be visible from Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano,
and the Estancia Valley.

·   Red Canyon Campground Prescribed Pile Burn: 48 acres of piles in the
Hazard Tree Mitigation Project located adjacent to Upper Red canyon
Campground in the Manzano Mountains, approximately 12 miles northwest of
the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in
Torrance County, NM. Smoke may be visible from Mountainair, Punta de Agua,
Manzano, or the Estancia Valley.

*Sandia Ranger District:*

*·   David Canyon Prescribed Fire: 285 acres of broadcast burning in the
David Canyon area, in the Manzanita Mountains. David Canyon is located west
of Hwy 337 and West of the Mars Court trailhead. Smoke may be visible from
Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty, NM.*

*·   Cedro Unit Prescribed Pile Burn: 15 acres of piles within the Cedro
unit in the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is in the Manzanita
Mountains. Cedro is located south FSRD 462, east of HWY 337. Smoke may be
visible from Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty, NM.*

*·   Sulphur Unit Prescribed Pile Burn: 18 acres of piles within the
Sulphur unit in the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is in the
Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536.
Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Albuquerque, Tijeras,
Edgewood and Moriarty, NM.*

Kiowa & Rita Blanca National Grasslands:

·   3,000 acres of multiple units of prescribed fire broadcast burning
across the district. Smoke may be visible from Clayton, New Mexico and
Felt, OK.

Black Kettle & McClellan National Grasslands:

·   3,000 acres of multiple units of prescribed fire broadcast burning
across the district. Smoke may be visible from Roger Mills County, OK.

These areas may close during project implementation for public safety.
Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before
and during burns.

Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burns. Go to
https://fire.airnow.gov/ for more detailed information about air quality.
When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter
smoke on the road.

Stay informed about scheduled prescribed fires through InciWeb
<https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/>, New Mexico Fire Information
<https://nmfireinfo.com/> and on the Cibola NF & NGs website
<https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/recreation>, Cibola Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/cibolanf> and Cibola X <https://x.com/cibola_nf>
sites. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning
begins.
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