| Esquibel Prescribed Fire Update New Mexico Fire Information

Fire crews began a second day of ignitions on the Esquibel Prescribed Fire north of Tres Piedras, New Mexico this morning. The latest spot forecast from the National Weather Service calls for winds of 4 to 8 mph throughout the day, with isolated precipitation in the area. Fire officials use a portable, remote automatic weather station to closely monitor conditions on scene.

Crews, including the Forest Stewards Guild's All Hands All Lands Burn team, made good progress Monday, treating 200 acres. Crew members pointed to the eastern edge of the unit boundary. Blacklining involves pre-burning fuels along the Line of Control before interior areas are treated. Winds there were light.

Today, crews will continue to draw black lines, starting at the southern boundary of the unit. A helicopter may be used later to help treat interior areas. Ignitions at the 2,962-acre prescribed burn unit are expected to last through the week.

Residents and visitors to the area may observe smoke coming from the unit. View the Fire and Smoke Map for local air quality and 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 also 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.