Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Single Incident Information

Zoom to your location
Reset map zoom and position

Could not determine your location.

Capilla Prescribed Fire Mountainair Ranger District

Unit Information

2113 Osuna Rd. NE 
Albuquerque, 
87113 
2113 Osuna Rd. NE 
Albuquerque, 
87113 

Incident Contacts

Arlene Perea
Email: arlene.perea@usda.gov
Phone: 505-523-3881

Highlighted Media

Pending favorable conditions, fire managers on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) may implement the previously announced Capilla prescribed fire (RX) on the Mountainair Ranger District as early as Thursday, October 24, 2024. 

Fire crews plan to broadcast burn 570 acres on the Capilla Fuels Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains located approximately 10 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County New Mexico. Map attached. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, Torreon and the Estancia Valley. Visitors to the Red Canyon Campground as well as the Red Canyon/Spruce Spring/New Canyon/Crest trails system may be impacted.

Basic Information
Current as of Fri, 10/25/2024 - 21:37
Incident Time Zone America/Denver
Incident Type Prescribed Fire
Date of Origin
Location Manzano Mountains, Torrance County, New Mexico
Incident Commander US Forest Service
Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands
Mountainair Ranger District
Adrian Padilla, Fire Management Officer
Incident Description Starting as early as Oct 24, 2024:
Fire crews plan to broadcast burn 570 acres on the Capilla Fuels Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains located approximately 10 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains, in Torrance County New Mexico. Map attached. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, Torreon and the Estancia Valley. Visitors to the Red Canyon Campground as well as the Red Canyon/Spruce Spring/New Canyon/Crest trails system may be impacted.
Coordinates 34° 37' 25'' Latitude
-106° 23'
47
'' Longitude
Current Situation
Total Personnel: 36
Size 570 Acres
Fuels Involved

Slash/Ponderosa Pine

Significant Events

Capilla Prescribed Fire

Ignitions Completed Today

October 25, 2024 – Today's objectives on the Capilla Prescribed Fire consisted of mopping and holding exterior fire lines as well as the ignition of small, unburned pockets within the perimeter. Today there was an operation focused on unburned pockets of fuel, which was completed around 1:30 PM. Overall, fire crews focused on securing the fire's perimeter and mop-up. Please note, smoke may continue to be visible as unburned or heavy fuels within the perimeter continue to burn. These heat sources should pose no threat to perimeter lines. Fire crews will continue to be onsite daily to monitor and extinguish hot spots as necessary. Unless there are new developments, this will be the final new release specific to the Capilla Rx.

Fire acreage remained at 570 acres. The Capilla Fuels Reduction and Restoration Project in the Manzano Mountains is located approximately 10 miles northwest of the town of Mountainair in the southern half of the Manzano Mountains of Torrance County New Mexico.

Smoke may be visible from Mountainair, Punta de Agua, Manzano, Torreon and Estancia Valley. Visitors to the Red Canyon Campground as well as the Red Canyon, Spruce Spring, New Canyon, and Crest Trails may be affected. There are currently no road or area closures in effect. The Cibola NF & NGs manages all prescribed fires in compliance with New Mexico state air quality and smoke management regulations. However, smoke may settle into drainages and lower elevations at night, and is expected to disperse as temperatures rise in the morning. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the www.airnow.gov/.

Some objectives for the Capilla Rx include improving wildlife habitat by creating diversity in vegetation, returning fire to the ecosystem in a controlled and efficient manner, and to reduce fuel loadings/raise the canopy cover base to reduce the likelihood of a crown fire, all while providing for the safety of all fire personnel and members of the public.

Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires are intended to reduce hazardous fuels accumulated due to

drought, climate change, insects and disease, and decades of fire suppression. Additionally, fire managers use prescribed fire to improve forest health, remove hazardous fuels, increase firefighter safety, enhance wildlife

habitat, and protect communities and watersheds. Prescribed fires are designed to meet specific objectives and are always managed with firefighter and public safety as the priority.

Implementation announcements and updates on prescribed fire projects will be posted on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and on the Cibola NF & NGs website, Cibola Facebook and Cibola Twitter sites.

If you would like specific information, please contact the Mountainair Ranger District Office at (505) 847-2990 or the Cibola NF & NG Supervisor's Office at (505) 346-3900.

 

 

 

# # #

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Outlook
Current Weather
Weather Concerns

on Oct 21, 2024 https://www.weather.gov/ forecast for Mountainair, NM

Thursday

Sunny, with a high near 74.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 73.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 39.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 73.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 43.