Reducing wildfire risk within Gattons Park community and Southern Gila priority landscape 

MIMBRES, NM, July 17, 2023 – The Gila National Forest, Wilderness Ranger District is preparing to conduct several prescribed fire pile burning projects now through the month of August as fuels, staffing, and fire weather conditions allow. These projects are located within the Gattons Park wildland urban interface project area.  

“The objectives of these prescribed fires are to restore fire back to the landscape within fire-adapted and fire-dependent ecosystems and utilize fire to reduce hazardous fuels adjacent to private property within the wildland urban interface,” said Wilderness District Ranger Henry Provencio. “These prescribed fire projects fall within the Southern Gila priority landscape.” 

Implementation of the prescribed fires may begin as early as July 21 and could continue throughout the month of August as conditions allow. Expect intermittent delays on New Mexico Highway 35. Wilderness District personnel will coordinate activities with the highway department. Signage will be posted at all access points to the designated treatment areas. 

Smoke will be monitored to ensure that the New Mexico Environment Department’s Air Quality Bureau are met. Smoke may be visible from the communities of Lake Roberts and San Lorenzo. There will be smoke impacts to New Mexico Highway 35, and the community of Mimbres and the Mimbres and Sapillo drainages.  

Air quality information and health protection measures are posted online by the New Mexico Department of Health at https://nmtracking.org/environment/air/FireAndSmoke.html.Smoke sensitive individuals and those with respiratory or heart disease should take precautionary measures. You can also find real-time smoke information at www.airnow.gov. For more information contact Maribeth Pecotte at 575-388-8211 or Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.gov .