Courtesy/SFNF
SFNF News:
Location: The wildfire is in the Cuba Ranger District, south of New Mexico State Road 126 and the Nacimiento Mine
Start Date: March 22, 2026
Size: 18 acres
Containment: 100 %
Cause: Under investigation
Vegetation: Burning in oak, ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper, and Douglas fir.
Resources: 60 personnel
Highlights: Fire crews remain actively engaged using a direct extinguishment strategy on the 18‑acre wildfire. On Sunday, firefighters, supported by large airtankers dropping retardant, were able to stop the fire’s forward progress. Handlines, along with Forest Service Roads 533L and 533LD, served as key containment features, and all containment lines held the last two nights.
Resources remain on scene today conducting mop‑up operations. This means crews are extinguishing or removing burning material along the east and west flanks near containment lines. Firefighters are also reinforcing roads and constructed handline along the northern perimeter, tying these sections into existing Forest Service roads to further strengthen containment.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Please avoid the area while crews fight the Nacimiento Wildfire. Drones and firefighting aircraft are a dangerous mix and could lead to accidents or slow down wildfire operations. If you fly, we can’t.
Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Cuba, N.M. and surrounding communities, and NM State Road 126.
Fire Information:
Contact Claudia Brookshire, Public Affairs Officer, Santa Fe National Forest
Phone: 505.607.0879 (available from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Email: claudia.brookshire@usda.gov
Links: Santa Fe National Forest website, New Mexico Fire Info, Inciweb, and Santa Fe National Forest social media ( Facebook and X).
About the Forest Service
The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.