Mountainair Ranger District to Conduct Prescribed Fire Pile Burning

Red Canyon Campground Piles starting as early as January 10

Favorable weather conditions in place for hazardous fuels reduction work

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 9, 2026 – The Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) is planning to burn the previously announced Red Canyon Campground Prescribed (Rx) Fire Piles on the Mountainair Ranger District as early as Saturday, January 10 pending all required approvals. This work will continue as a multi-day operation as weather conditions allow.

Fire managers are taking advantage of recent precipitation, snow covered ground, cooler temperatures, and relative humidity recoveries that create suitable conditions for burning piled slash and woody debris from earlier forest restoration work. We use prescribed fires to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.

Red Canyon Campground Prescribed Fire Piles planned:

49 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. Map attached.

This area may be closed to the public for several days for public safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns. Smoke may be visible from Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, or the Estancia Valley.

Residents may experience smoke during prescribed burns. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road. 

We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled.

Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fire through InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, Cibola Facebook and Cibola X sites. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.