U.S. Forest Service - Carson National Forest

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U.S. Forest Service - Carson National Forest

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Endless recreation opportunities on 1.5 million acres of beautiful mountain scenery in Northern New Mexico.

The National Forest Foundation, chartered by Congress, engages Americans in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System, administers private gifts of funds and land for the benefit of the National Forests. http://www.nationalforests.org/

The Forest Service manages a system of 155 national forests, 20 national grasslands, and 222 research and experimental forests, as well as other special areas, covering more than 192 million acres of public land. The Forest Service has evolved into a 30,000 employee agency that manages the national forests for a number of multiple uses, including recreation, timber, wilderness, minerals, water, grazing, fish, and wildlife.

10/19/2026

Using both hand and aerial resources, crews applied prescribed fire to an additional 1,880 acres in the Comanche Unit of Valle Vidal today - bringing the total so far to 1,960 acres treated.

There are no ignitions planned for tomorrow.

10/18/2026

Comanche-Powderhouse Rx Update: 10/17

Following a successful test fire this afternoon, crews were able to burn 80 acres in the Comanche Unit of Valle Vidal. Today was exclusively hand ignitions. Tomorrow's plan will include use of both hand and aerial ignitions with a helicopter.

Stay informed: Prescribed fire plans may change depending on weather and on-the-ground conditions. Sign up for forest updates at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/keep-in-touch.

Updates will also be shared on the Carson National Forest page and at https://nmfireinfo.com/.

10/16/2026

🔥 Prescribed Fire Planned for Valle Vidal Beginning October 17

Carson National Forest fire crews are preparing to begin ignitions on the Comanche-Powderhouse Prescribed Fire on the western side of Valle Vidal as early as Saturday, October 17. Cooler temperatures, shorter days and recent moisture are helping create opportunities for prescribed burning.

The 5,318-acre Comanche Unit could take up to five days to complete, depending on weather and conditions. Crews will use ground and aerial resources, including a helicopter. Portions of the 8,288-acre Powderhouse Unit may also be treated after work on the Comanche Unit is complete.

Prescribed fire helps restore ecosystem health, improve wildlife habitat and maintain productive rangelands for local grazers. In Valle Vidal, it also helps reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire that could threaten the area's recently restored Rio Grande cutthroat trout population, the result of more than 20 years of restoration work.

Crews will target grasses and forest understory vegetation, including leaf litter, downed branches and brush. Some individual trees or groups of trees may burn completely, creating openings in the forest canopy.

Stay informed: Prescribed fire plans may change depending on weather and on-the-ground conditions. Sign up for forest updates at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/keep-in-touch.

Updates will also be shared on the Carson National Forest page and at https://nmfireinfo.com/.

10/05/2026

🔥 Kiowa-San Cristobal Prescribed Fire Postponed

Fire managers have postponed planned ignitions on the G-Unit of the Kiowa-San Cristobal Prescribed Fire due to forecasted conditions that did not develop as expected. Based on current conditions, conducting the planned pile burning would not be safe.

Fire managers will continue monitoring weather, fuel moisture and other conditions for a safe opportunity to conduct pile burning.

The Kiowa-San Cristobal project is part of a collaborative effort to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest and watershed health. In 2015, local organizations partnered with the Carson National Forest and other groups to form the Taos Valley Watershed Coalition and identified the project as a priority for reducing wildfire threats to communities and watersheds.

To date, nearly 5,000 acres of thinning and prescribed fire have been completed within the project area. This work has helped reduce wildfire risk south of San Cristobal while also increasing opportunities for fuelwood gathering and improving riparian corridors and range allotments.

We appreciate the public's patience as fire managers continue to look for safe conditions to complete this work.

10/02/2026

🔥 Crews Plan to Pile Burn Near Turley Mill

Recent precipitation is giving fire managers an opportunity to conduct prescribed pile burning on approximately 74 acres northeast of the Turley Mill neighborhood, north of Taos.

Ignitions could begin as early as Monday, Oct. 5, and may continue for up to five days, depending on weather and fuel conditions.

At this time of year, crews typically conduct understory prescribed burning, applying fire across larger areas of the forest floor. Recent storms have dampened those fuels, so crews are shifting their focus to pile burning—burning piles of woody material created during forest thinning.

The piles were created in 2023 as part of the Kiowa-San Cristobal Wildland Urban Interface Project, which is designed to reduce wildfire risk to communities located near national forest lands. The burn unit is surrounded by control lines.

Safety remains the priority. Pending required approvals, ignitions will only proceed when weather and fuel conditions are appropriate. Crews will conduct a test burn each day to evaluate fire behavior before deciding whether to proceed with additional ignitions.

Following ignition, firefighters will patrol and monitor the area until the burn is declared out. Some piles may continue to smolder and produce a visible glow at night, and crews may monitor the area for weeks or months depending on future weather conditions.

Additional pile burning within the Kiowa-San Cristobal project area is planned for this fall and winter, as well as in future years.

To receive ignition notices and more information from the Carson National Forest, sign up for emails at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/keep-in-touch

09/09/2026

🔥 Prescribed fire preparations are underway on the Carson National Forest.

As we head into fall and winter, fire managers will be looking for opportunities to conduct prescribed burns to reduce wildfire risk to communities, infrastructure and watersheds and to improve forest health.

Crews and contractors have spent the summer preparing prescribed fire units by building control lines and clearing brush. These lines help crews safely manage fire during an operation.

When conditions allow, prescribed fire may take place in several areas across the forest, including Taos Canyon, Valle Vidal, El Rito, Canjilon and Tres Piedras. Fire managers will consider weather, wind, moisture, available resources and other factors before each project. If conditions are too dry, prescribed fire operations may be limited or paused. The full list of potential burn locations is available here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/fire/management/prescribed-fire-schedule?utm_source=MarketingCloud&utm_medium=email

Most projects will use low-intensity understory burning to mimic the natural role of fire in fire-adapted ecosystems. In some areas, moderate-intensity fire may be used to create openings in the forest canopy, reduce meadow encroachment or encourage aspen growth.

📢 Ignition notifications are typically sent a few days before a prescribed fire, although smaller projects may have only one day's notice. Sign up using this link to stay up to date: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/keep-in-touch?utm_source=MarketingCloud&utm_medium=email

🌲 Smoke is part of prescribed fire. Unlike large wildfires, prescribed burns are planned and typically short in duration, with ignitions coordinated to minimize smoke impacts. However, smoke may settle in local areas during the evening and overnight.

We know this year's dry conditions may limit how much prescribed fire we can accomplish. Our fire managers remain committed to this important work and will take every opportunity to safely reduce wildfire risk when conditions are right.

*the original post erroneously included the Rio Grande Gorge as a potential burn site.

08/29/2026

MOGOTE RIDGE FIRE UPDATE

Firefighters remain on scene of the Mogote Ridge Fire between Canjilon and El Rito in Rio Arriba County. The fire has not grown, and with better mapping, its size has been lowered to 85 acres. Containment remains at 0%, but hand- and dozer-created control lines continue to be built.

Fire behavior remains consistent for the mixed conifer with aspen vegetation community, smoldering on the forest floor with occasional single tree or group torching.

For public safety in the immediate area, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) and two Forest Service roads have been closed. Details and a CDT reroute are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/alerts/mogote-ridge-fire-closures-cdt-and-nearby-roads.

This will be the final regular update for the Mogote Ridge Fire unless fire activity changes significantly.

Updated acreage and containment will continue to be available on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmcaf-mogote-ridge-fire.

08/28/2026

Firefighters continued suppression operations on the Mogote Ridge Fire today, building control lines with hand tools and dozers. An infrared flight this morning measured the fire at 83 acres, and the fire grew to 95 acres by the end of the day. Containment remains at 0%.

Fire behavior, as seen in the photo, has been typical of the mixed conifer with aspen vegetation community, where flames smolders on the forest floor while occasionally torching single or small groups of trees.

About 100 personnel are assigned to the incident, including two helicopters, two dozers and ground crews, including one hotshot crew.

The public is encouraged to avoid firefighting operations by staying away from the area, including the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail between Forest Service Roads 724 and 559 (also known as County Road 280 and State Road 110) and Lower Canjilon Lake, which helicopter pilots are using as a dip site.

Management of the fire will transition to a Type 3 team this evening.

Updates will continue to be posted to InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmcaf-mogote-ridge-fire.

08/27/2026

NEW FIRE START

Carson National Forest firefighters are on scene of the 40-acre Mogote Ridge Fire in Rio Arriba County, east of Canjilon and northwest of El Rito. The fire is 0% contained and cause has not been determined.

There are currently no evacuations.

A large airtanker made a retardant drop while firefighters began to work to on an indirect containment strategy ahead of flames due to a complex terrain of heavy down and dead fuels and falling snags in forested areas.

Fire activity this afternoon was moderate to high with patches of torching and canopy runs in stands of spruce-fir and mixed conifer with aspen. Activity moderated this evening as some rain fell in the area, humidity increased and cloud cover formed.

Six engines and two dozers are ordered for tomorrow with more ordering in progress.

An InciWeb page has been launched at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/nmcaf-mogote-ridge-fire.

08/26/2026

Lightning has been active across Northern New Mexico, with approximately 11,000 strikes reported over the last few days. Several small wildfires have been detected on the Carson National Forest. Firefighters and aviation resources are responding, and crews are monitoring conditions closely.

CRUCES BASIN FIRE
📍 Cruces Basin Wilderness, north side
🔥 Approximately 32 acres | 0% contained

The fire is mostly smoldering but may pick up and torch pockets of trees if winds increase. Nine smokejumpers responded yesterday, along with firefighters from the Rio Grande National Forest. Two helicopters—a Type 2 and a Type 3—are also supporting operations.

Lightning is suspected as the cause, but it has not yet been confirmed.

JARITA CANYON FIRE
📍 Southeast of Vallecitos in Rio Arriba County, near the intersection of Forest Service Roads 44 and 44J
🔥 Approximately 2 acres | 0% contained

Carson National Forest firefighters have arrived on scene and are assessing the fire. Lightning is suspected, but the cause remains unconfirmed.

OTHER FIRES CONTAINED

Firefighters have also contained four additional lightning-caused fires over the last several days:

• Estufa Fire — Jicarilla Ranger District
• Vaqueros Fire — Jicarilla Ranger District
• Manuel Tank Fire — Jicarilla Ranger District
• Huckaby Fire — Canjilon Ranger District, Mesa de los Viejos

With continued thunderstorms and dry conditions, additional lightning-caused fires are possible. Please use caution when recreating on the forest and be aware of changing fire conditions.

Address

208 Cruz Alta Road
Taos, NM
87571

Website

http://www.fs.usda.gov/carson

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