[Editor's Note: This is the best I could do. I'll ry better tomorrow, but I've had a major tech problem that has exhausted me!]


Mountainair, NM – September 02, 2026 – Fire activity has remained low following Monday’s precipitation, with infrared reconnaissance detecting only a few scattered interior hotspots. Remaining activity is primarily limited to isolated pockets of smoldering heavy dead and down fuels within the fire perimeter, with little to no active fire spread.
Reported Date / Time: August 21, 2026 / 1350. Reported by Capilla Peak Lookout.
Cause: Lightning. Size: 393 acres Containment: 19% Personnel: 123
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.
Fuels: Mixed conifer. Fire Behavior: Low
Operations: An Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) equipped with infrared cameras conducted a reconnaissance flight over the Whiskey Fire, identifying several areas of residual heat within the fire perimeter. Incident command personnel also completed an aerial reconnaissance flight to assess current smoke and fire activity and evaluate conditions across the incident.
With fire activity remaining minimal, hand crews maintained an observation status while incident leadership evaluated objectives, resource needs, and the operational glidepath for the coming days. Fireline construction on the New Canyon side of the fire has been completed, and crews have begun rehabilitating trails affected by suppression preparation work. Dozers and water tenders continue working along Trigo Springs Road to repair extensive washouts and restore access following recent rainfall.
The Cerro and Blanco fires have both been declared 100% contained.
Smoke may be visible from Belen, Bosque Farms, El Cerro Mission, Las Maravillas, Los Lunas, Manzano, Meadow Lake, Mountainair, Peralta, Rio Communities, Torreon, and Valencia.
Area, Road and Trail Closure Order in effect for National Forest System (NFS) lands surrounding the Whiskey Fire (03-03-04-26-18). Road closure barricades are on Trigo Springs Road for road improvement operations. Review the closure orders here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/cibola/alerts.
Weather for Mountainair, NM (September 2, 2026) Warm and dry conditions are expected around Mountainair today, September 2, with highs near 87°F and minimum RH around 23%. West winds around 5–10 mph are expected, with limited thunderstorm activity. Crews should anticipate the driest and most active burning conditions during the afternoon, with generally favorable weather for suppression operations.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. In order to facilitate safe and efficient suppression efforts the public is asked to avoid the fire areas and adjoining trails.
Notice: Privately owned aircraft and 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!”

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.