| Esquibel Prescribed Burn Update #2NM Fire Information

After a successful shift on Tuesday, fire crews began a third day of ignitions on the Esquibel prescribed burn this morning. The National Weather Service's most recent point forecasts for the area estimate winds of 5 to 10 mph. Fire officials use a remote portable automatic weather station, as well as two permanent stations nearby, to closely monitor conditions on scene.

Yesterday, crew members, including the Forest Stewards Guild's All Hands All Lands Burn Team, highlighted most of the south side of the prescribed burn unit. Blacklining involves pre-burning fuels along the Line of Control before interior areas are treated. To date, 776 acres have been treated.

Today, crew members will conduct ignitions on the east side of the unit, which was blacklisted on Monday. A helicopter can be used to treat more remote areas inland, which would likely result in larger treatment areas. Ignitions at the 2,962-acre prescribed burn unit are expected to last through the week.

Residents and visitors to the area will likely observe smoke coming from the unit, as well as the Indios Fire in the Santa Fe National Forest. Check the fire and smoke map for air quality local and use the Environmental Protection Agency's ready-to-smoke toolkit for protective actions. A limited number of portable air filtration units, courtesy of the Forest Stewards Guild, are available on loan to nearby smoke-sensitive residents. Call the Tres Piedras Ranger Station at 575-758-8678 for availability.

Fire crews target combustibles on the forest floor, such as fallen leaves, fallen branches and brush. Fire may completely burn isolated trees or stands, which will help create an open forest canopy. They will use newly greened grassland areas within the unit as retention features, as well as Forest Road 83 and two prescribed burns from 2015 and 2021.

As part of the collaborative Rio Chama Forest Landscape Restoration Project, prescribed burning in this area contributes to the goals of improving and maintaining the health and resilience of the Rio Chama and Rio Grande watersheds.

Information officers will continue to post updates on InciWeb and Carson National Forest social media (Facebook, X) and New Mexico Fire Information as operations continue.