| Mountainair Mountain Ranger District to Implement Capilla Prescribed FireNM Fire Information

Starts on October 24th

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – October 21, 2024 – Subject to favorable conditions, firefighters in the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF and NG) may implement a previously announced Capilla prescribed fire (RX) in the Mountain Ranger District as early as Thursday, October 24, 2024.

Firefighters plan to broadcast a 570-acre burn at the Capilla Fuel Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains, located about 10 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains in Torrance County, New Mexico. Map included. Smoke may be visible in the areas of Mountainaire, Punta de Agua, Manzano, Torreon and Estancia Valley. This may impact visitors to the Red Canyon Campground as well as the Red Canyon/Spruce Spring/New Canyon/Crest trail system.

Firefighters will also seek to continue prescribed fire operations in the coming weeks on 2,012 acres of the Espinoza-Barranco Wildlife Improvement Project in the Manzano Mountains, about 8 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance. County, New Mexico. Map included. Smoke from the Espinosa RX Fire may be visible in the areas around Mountainaire, Abo, Chollet, Punta de Agua, Manzano or Estancia Valley.

Fires will be subject to agency administrator approval and conditions within the ranges specified in the prescribed fire plan. The desired conditions will result in effective ventilation and smoke dispersion and will help achieve the effects needed to achieve the burn plan objectives.

Cibola NF & NGs handles all prescribed fires in accordance with New Mexico Air Quality and Smoke Control regulations. However, smoke may settle into drainage systems and lower elevations at night, but is expected to clear as daytime temperatures rise. Information about air quality and protecting your health can be found at www.airnow.gov/.

Our land management strategy focuses on long-term forest health, including reducing the use of forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires are intended to reduce the amount of hazardous fuels that have accumulated from drought, climate change, insects and disease, and decades of fire suppression. In addition, firefighters use prescribed fire to improve forest health, remove hazardous fuels, improve firefighter safety, improve wildlife habitat, and protect communities and watersheds. Prescribed fires are designed to achieve specific goals, and firefighters and public safety are always the priority when fighting them.

Prescribed fire project announcements and updates will be posted on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information, as well as the Cibola NF&NGs website, Cibola Facebook and Cibola Twitter sites.

For more information about the Capilla prescribed fire, contact the Mountain Ranger District Office at 505-847-2990 or the Cibola National Forest and Rangeland Supervisor’s Office at 505-346-3900.