Observing a prescribed fire’s progress from the top of an amphibious vehicle. Courtesy/USFWS

SFNF News:

Beginning tomorrow through Friday, as conditions are favorable, fire managers plan to begin the Mesa Camino and Southeast Barbero Prescribed Burns.

Prescribed burns are conducted when specific conditions and criteria align to allow fire managers to safely conduct the burn, while achieving desired objectives.

Conditions include: temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation and conditions for effective smoke dispersion.

Coyote Ranger District, Mesa Camino Prescribed Burn

· Fire managers plan to treat 50 to 200 acres per day during the two day burning period.

· The burn area is located 15 miles northeast of the community of Gallina and 8 miles north of the Coyote Ranger Station.

· Smoke from the burn will be visible from Gallina, Coyote, Youngsville, Regina, Llaves, Canones, Ghost Ranch, Christ in the Desert Monastery, Abiquiu and possibly Canjilon.

Southeast Barbero, Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District

· Fire managers plan to treat a 500-acre block from the entire 3,200 acre project area. During the three day burning period, 100 to 300 acres will be treated per day.

· The burn area is located approximately 12 miles southeast of the town of Pecos.

· Smoke from the burn will be visible from of Ilfeld, San Juan, San Jose, Ribera, Villanueva, Rowe, Pecos, Las Vegas and along I-25.

· Forty percent of the 500-acre block consists of thinned slash and the remaining 60 percent consists of grass.

We recognize that smoke from prescribed fire can be a nuisance to some people and a health concern for others. To mitigate smoke impacts, fire managers use different strategies and tactics to manage smoke.

For example during the upcoming burns, smaller blocks of fuel will be treated, which will decrease daily smoke volume. In addition, we also work closely with meteorologists and air quality regulators to burn when conditions will disperse smoke most effectively.