Weather and fire conditions permitting

RESERVE, NM, March 14, 2023 – The Gila National Forest, Reserve Ranger District is planning on burning the slash pile at the Reserve Community Slash Pit. Officials plan to ignite the prescribed fire as soon as desired weather and fire conditions permit.

Following last year’s pause of prescribed fire operations, Forest Service Chief Randy Moore released the USDA Forest Service National Prescribed Fire Review on Sept. 8, outlining actions that Forest officials must take before prescribed burning can resume. Forest officials have followed those steps, updating prescribed fire burn plans with the most recent science and key factors affecting fire behavior.

“All fire management carries with it some risk, but we are doing our due diligence to conduct all prescribed fires in the safest way possible,” said Reserve District Ranger Amanda Gehrt. As the deciding official, she is actively engaged in real time to determine whether the prescribed burn should take place, as well as communicating with adjacent landowners and local officials.

The Reserve Slash Pit is located between Reserve, New Mexico and Rancho Grande subdivision, west of New Mexico Highway 12 on National Forest System Road 578. Smoke and firefighter activity may impact forest road access. If this occurs, road guards will be in place. Smoke will be visible in the area and may linger in the valley at night and early in the morning.

Prescribed fire is one of the most efficient methods we use to reduce hazardous fuels and maintain our ecosystem within our National Forests and Grasslands. It mimics natural fire by reducing forest fuels, recycling nutrients, and increasing habitat diversity. Over a century of scientific data has shown that when prescribed fires and other forest thinning projects are placed strategically on the landscape and around communities, wildfire behavior is less severe, and firefighters have a better and safer chance to stop the fire and minimize its impacts.

Smoke from the prescribed burn will be visible to the public. The Forest Service will coordinate with New Mexico Environment Department and follow smoke management guidelines. Air quality information and health protection measures are posted online at the New Mexico Department of Health’s website:  https://nmtracking.org/fire. For more information contact Maribeth Pecotte at 575-388-8211.