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TAOS, NM, June 19, 2023 – Conditions are becoming favorable to begin ignitions on the previously announced Bighorn/Stateline Project at the New Mexico-Colorado state border near U.S. Route 285. Weather and conditions permitting, crews will begin burning on or around Sat., Jun. 24. This 700- to 900-acre prescribed fire in collaboration with the Rio Grande National Forest will include 216 acres on the Carson National Forest.

“As a primary containment feature, the grass has greened up nicely while the targeted slash continues to dry out,” said Conejos Peak District Ranger Andrea Jones of the Rio Grande National Forest. “With favorable live-fuels moistures, this should serve well to meet our remaining fuels reduction objectives on this previously thinned project.”

Active lighting is expected to take up to three days. Once ignitions are completed, firefighters will continue to patrol the area to ensure containment of the fire as interior fuels continue to slowly consume.

The prescribed fire is located within the Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project, and aims to increase the health of forest conditions, which are inextricably linked to water quality and quantity downstream. Cross-boundary collaboration is a key to the success of the project, which covers 3.8 million acres between New Mexico and Colorado.

Updates for the Bighorn/Stateline Prescribed Fire will be posted on InciWeb at and the Forest’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter).