Single Publication

Carson National Forest personnel are preparing to potentially start the McCrystal Rock Prescribed Fire in Valle Vidal late next week. Crews could begin ignitions on the 6,333-acre project as early as Oct. 12, but the timing will ultimately be based on weather and on-site conditions in consultation with a meteorologist. 

“We’ve been looking for opportunities to start this project, not just when the weather and conditions allow, but in between the once-in-a-lifetime elk hunts in Valle Vidal, Unit 55A,” said Questa District Ranger Adam LaDell, referring to New Mexico’s hunting program. “I can’t guarantee this will perfectly fit between hunts, but we are certainly trying our best.” 

McCrystal Campground will remain open, but visitors will likely experience smoke and see an increase in fire personnel presence during operations. It is recommended to use the nearby Cimarron Campground. 

The McCrystal Rock Unit is part of the larger 21,000-acre Valle Vidal Northeast Prescribed Fire Project. The goal is to improve wildlife habitat by, in part, promoting grassland and meadow regeneration and reducing the potential for high-severity wildfires in forested areas.  

Fire crews have used prescribed fire to treat most of the project area in recent years, including a 1,694-acre unit in 2016 and a 2,000-acre unit in 2009. The 2002 Ponil Complex Fire burn area is also within the unit and the 2017 Whitman Fire is adjacent. 

Fire-adapted forests in the Southwest must undergo fire disturbance on a regular basis to maintain resiliency. Reintroducing and maintaining regular fire intervals in the Valle Vidal, the so-called “Yellowstone of the Southwest,” is a key component of the USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The emphasis of the strategy is to increase fuels and forest health treatments to protect natural resources in designated landscapes, including the 1.5-million-acre Enchanted Circle Landscape in Northern New Mexico. 

Smoke from the prescribed fire could impact Valle Vidal and may be noticeable to communities in Colfax County, New Mexico, and Las Animas County, Colorado. 

The public can get prescribed fire updates on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and Carson National Forest social media channels (Facebook, X).