An aerial view today of smoke billowing from the McCauley Springs Fire in the Jemez Mountains. The fire is burning about a mile west of Jemez Falls Campground and as of this afternoon the fire has consumed 150 acres. Due to continued N.M. 4 road closures and power outages associated with the fire, Valles Caldera National Preserve will be closed Thursday, June 25. Courtesy/USFS
Forest Service News:
- McCauley Springs Fire Evening Update
Acres:
- 150
Location:
- Jemez Ranger District, near Battleship Rock
Cause:
- Undetermined
Containment:
- 0%
Start Date:
- June 24, 2026
Fuels:
- Timber
The Northern New Mexico Type 3 Incident Management Team assumed command of the McCauley Springs Fire this evening.
Operations: Today, federal and local engines, the Santa Fe Interagency Hotshot Crew, and multiple aircraft responded to the McCauley Springs Fire, which was detected early Wednesday morning. Two additional Hotshot crews and other resources are arriving this evening.
A strike team of engines is conducting structure-protection triage in the Sierra Los Pinos area, while Large Air Tankers (LATs) dropped retardant throughout the day until gusty outflow winds from nearby thunderstorms temporarily grounded them. Several helicopters continue working the incident under the coordination of an Air Tactical Group Supervisor (Air Attack), and dozers are constructing heavy-equipment fireline.
This fire is being fully suppressed but is demonstrating a high potential for spread. Firefighters are working to keep the fire from reaching Highway 4, but erratic winds are complicating suppression efforts. This remains a rapidly evolving situation, and the public is urged to stay vigilant and avoid the fire area.
Evacuations/Closures: Coordinating with Sandoval County, evacuations are in place. Evacuations will be posted on the Sandoval County website.
- Go status (evacuate) – Sierra de los Pinos, and Jemez Falls Campground. Evacuation centers for residents are located at Jemez Mountain Baptist Church in La Cueva, NM and the Jemez Valley Senior Center at 8154 Highway 4.
- Ready status – Los Alamos County
- Closures – Highway 4 from Mile Marker 27-40, Battleship Rock Campground, Jemez Falls Campground, Redondo Campground, Trail #137.
Weather: The McCauley Springs Fire area will see scattered evening thunderstorms with little rainfall but a continued threat of gusty, erratic outflow winds, followed by mostly cloudy conditions overnight with a 40% chance of showers and storms; temperatures will fall into the mid‑50s with humidity rising above 58%, and winds remaining light except near storms.
Tomorrow brings partly cloudy skies with isolated morning storms and more widespread afternoon activity, slightly better chances for measurable rain, temperatures in the low to mid‑80s, humidity in the 22–26% range, and west winds increasing to 10–14 mph with additional erratic gusts expected near thunderstorms.
Smoke: Smoke is visible from Albuquerque, U.S. 550, Jemez Springs, and surrounding communities. View an interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/. Learn more about smoke impacts at https://nmtracking.org/environment/air/FireAndSmoke.html.
Safety: The primary objective for the McCauley Springs Fire is firefighter and public safety. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place to keep the area clear for responding aircraft. No drones or aircraft are allowed to fly in the area. Flying will force air resources to be grounded immediately. If you fly, they can’t.
Fire Information: 505-607-0879/2026.mccauleysprings@firenet.gov/nmfireinfo.com/ facebook.com/santafeNF/ x.com/SantafeNF
About the Forest Service:
The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the nation’s forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.