Prescribed Burn Scheduled on Glenwood Ranger District

Glenwood, NM–The Glenwood Ranger District, Gila National Forest, is continuing prescribed burning within the Snare Mesa project area scheduled for April 22 – May 11, 2013. Start of the burn will depend on weather conditions; any significant rain may delay the project.

Objective: eliminate slash (logs, bark, branches, etc.) leftover from a thinning project

Acres: 100

Location: 10 miles northwest of the Community of Glenwood and near the Roberts Park/ Smoothing Iron area

Fuel type: sparse grass and thinning slash

Smoke may be visible along U.S. Highway 180 near Alma, NM. If driving in the vicinity, please exercise caution due to fire personnel and vehicles working along Catron County roads C003 and C057.

Further information may be obtained by contacting the Glenwood Ranger District at 575.539.2481.

Governor Martinez speaks at the Rio Grande Nature Center on Wildfire Awareness Week.

A combination of low moisture, persistent drought, winds and warm weather in southeastern New Mexico has prompted Lincoln National Forest fire officials to elevate the Guadalupe Ranger District’s fire danger rating to HIGH, while the fire danger in higher elevations on the Smokey Bear and Sacramento Ranger Districts is described as MODERATE.

If you plan to be out and about this Easter weekend, please follow some simple safety tips:

• Make sure campfires are dead out!
• Spark arrestors are required on chainsaws and off-road vehicles.
• Don’t park vehicles on dry grass.
• If you smoke, do so in areas that clear of vegetation and don’t toss cigarettes out.
• Don’t burn on windy days!
• Remember, it’s illegal to possess or use fireworks on public lands.

For information about the Lincoln National Forest, call 575-434-7200, Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln<http://www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln or follow us on Twitter.

Springtime winds in New Mexico have led to dry conditions and high fire danger.

The Gila National Forest began the Red Flag Awareness Program this week with the recent windy weather.

Each Forest Service office and administrative site will fly a red flag on the days the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Wind Warning.

Crews from three volunteer fire departments are mopping up a fire in the bosque near Chimayo/La Puebla.

1/4 acres was burned but no structures were lost.  Fire fighters prevented this from becoming a big fire.