New Report and Update on Wildfires

Sandia Ranger District - Coyote Fire
Mountainair Ranger District - Sand Springs Fire 

Albuquerque, NM – August 9, 2026 — Fire resources continue to actively engage in suppression efforts on wildfires within the Cibola National Forest that resulted from lightning strikes.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should avoid the fire areas.

Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease. The public is reminded that "If you fly, we can't!" 

Sandia Ranger District – Cedro Area: Coyote Fire (New Report)

Reported Date / Time: August 8, 2026 / 1800.                

Cause: Lightning

Size: 1/10 acre

Containment: 100%

Location: North of FS462, south of I-40 and east of 337 within the Cedro area of the Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest. 

Responding Resources: U.S. Forest Service and Bernalillo County Fire. 

Fuels: Pinyon-Juniper and Grass.

Operations: Yesterday's responding crews engaged the active flame to stop forward progression. Today, firefighters continue to secure the perimeter as well as mop-up interior hotspots.

Photos attached: U.S. Forest Service photo of Sandia Ranger District – Coyote Fire on August 8 and August 9, 2026.

This will be the only report on the Coyote Fire unless conditions or the situation warrants additional information.

Mountainair Ranger District- Manzano Mountain Wilderness: Sand Springs Fire (Update)

Reported Date / Time: July 31, 2026 / 1538. Reported by Capilla Peak Lookout.   

Cause: Lightning                       

Size: 30 acres.

Containment: 50%

Location: Steep terrain north of Osha Peak, south of Capilla Peak and west of the Manzano Crest Trail in the Manzano Mountain Wilderness within the Mountainair Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest. See Map attached.

Resources on scene: U.S. Forest Service Type 1 Hotshot Crew and 1 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Module. 

Operations: Retardant drops on Friday allowed ground crews to continue to build containment lines around the accessible portions of the fire. Personnel will secure the perimeter by identifying hot spots with UAS infrared detection and remove burnable fuel from fire's edge.

Fire Behavior: Moderate spread potential.

Fuels: Timber and dead & down.

Values at risk: Currently, the Sand Springs Fire is not a threat to any communities, and there are no evacuations in effect. Communication sites and structures at Capilla Peak are approximately 1.5 miles from fire activity.

Residual Smoke may be visible from Mountainair, Manzano, Punta de Agua, Torreon andwestside of Manzano Mountains. 

Photo attached: U.S. Forest Service aerial photo of Mountainair Ranger District – Sand Springs Fire on August 7, 2026.

Weather forecast for Albuquerque, NM (August 9, 2026) Today: Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable in the afternoon. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Monday (August 10, 2026) Sunny and hot, with a high near 101. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. https://www.weather.gov/

  

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the nation's forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.