BLM and USWFS Launch Prescribed Burn Season in the Albuquerque District Office
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service will begin prescribed fire operations throughout Catron, Cibola, Sandoval and Socorro counties as weather, fuel and air quality become favorable. Operations will continue throughout the fall and winter. These treatments are carefully planned to reduce hazardous fuels, protect nearby communities and restore native ecosystems. Information about specific upcoming and active burns is available on the BLM New Mexico Prescribed Fire website.
“Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools for reducing wildfire risk and improving habitat,” said BLM Socorro Field Manager Matt Atencio. “We carefully plan and execute these burns with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service to help protect communities and strengthen the health of our public lands.”
Techniques range from broadcast burning, which is the application of fire to an entire area, to hand and machine pile ignitions. These burns focus on increasing safety in the wildland-urban interface and restoring ecological function to the landscape. Targeting built-up fuels and residual materials from previous thinning operations decreases the load of dead trees, branches, and underbrush that pose significant wildfire risks.
“Every acre we treat is an investment in safer communities and stronger landscape resilience,” said USWFS Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist Lino Baca. “When we apply low-intensity fire to the landscape, we’re not just reducing risk, we’re leading with grit, stewardship, and the determination to leave the landscape better for those who follow.”
What the public should know:
- During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight.
- Residents are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts.
- When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down and turn on headlights.
- People with heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions should ask their doctors about protecting themselves from smoke and should monitor their local air quality map.
All burns are carried out when weather, fuel conditions, and air quality are within specific parameters. Firefighters use a combination of natural features and constructed control lines to keep the fire contained, with protocols in place to minimize smoke impacts on nearby communities.
For more information, contact the BLM Albuquerque District Office or Baca at lbaca@blm.gov or (575) 838-3024.
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.