BLM plans prescribed burns in central New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to burn piles of juniper, piñon and salt cedar slash in Socorro, Sandoval, and Catron counties. Weather permitting, the burns will take place between now and Feb. 28, 2026. Notices will be posted in nearby communities prior to each prescribed burn event.

The BLM burns slash piles to remove material from thinning projects in order to reduce wildfire risk, improve ecosystem health, improve wildlife habitat, and help protect local communities from wildfire. The Wild Horse and Magdalena Slash Pits are cooperative efforts with the local communities to provide a place for disposal of woody debris from private lands. BLM fire personnel will coordinate with the Wild Horse Landowners’ Association, local fire departments, adjacent landowners, range allotment permittees, and others prior to starting each slash pit burn.

Details of each prescribed burn location and size are as follows:

• Socorro Nature Area Pile Burn: 62 acres, located east of Lemitar and approximately 10 miles north of Socorro. Smoke may be visible from Lemitar, Polvadera and Socorro, N.M.
• Tank Canyon Pile Burn: 562 acres (two units: 220 and 347 acres), located approximately 25 miles north of Pie Town and about two miles east of York Ranch Road near the Wild Horse Subdivision. Smoke may be visible from Highway 60 and 36.
• Wild Horse Slash Pit: located off the Wood Camp Road near the Wild Horse Subdivision in Catron County. Smoke may be visible from Highway 60 and 36.
• Magdalena Slash Pit: located off the Forest Service 249 Road, 4 miles west of Magdalena. Smoke may be visible from Magdalena and Socorro, N.M.
• Trials Pile Burn: 50 acres, located off Highway 550 in Sandavol County, 0.5 mile west of San Ysidro. Smoke may be visible from San Ysidro, N.M.
• Cerro Comadre Piles: 280 acres, located approximately one mile west of County Road 42 in Cibola County. Smoke may be visible from Highways 42 and 53.
• Pie Town Piles: 350 acres, located near Pie Town on the east and south side of the community. Smoke may be visible from Pie Town and Highway 60 and 36.
• Alamocita Piles: 25 acres, approximately 20-25 miles northeast of Pie Town. Smoke may be visible from Highway 60 and 36.

Active ignition on each location will take one to five days, with some smoke visible in the burn areas for up to a week after ignition operations are completed. Site-specific weather forecasts will be requested and obtained from the National Weather Service prior to ignition to ensure each burn is within pre-identified parameters to help minimize the fire and smoke risk to the public. Fire personnel will monitor the sites for heat and smoke and ensure the perimeter of the unit is secure. Once smoke and heat are no longer present, the prescribed fire will be declared out.

For added public safety, prescribed fire signs will be posted on Highway 60, Highway 550, and county roads near the burn locations. Motorists should be aware that smoke from the fires could reduce visibility for brief periods of time on Highways 60and 550, and York Ranch Road. In addition, caution is advised when driving in the areas due to the presence of fire personnel and equipment along roads.

Prior to and during all prescribed fires, fire managers coordinate with the New Mexico Environment Department and follow all air quality regulations. People who may have health conditions that make them vulnerable to smoke exposure can get information about smoke and protecting their health on the NM Fire Info website. In addition, NM Environment Department’s air quality monitoring and Airnow.gov are resources for viewing sources of smoke and other factors affecting air quality.

Please contact the BLM Socorro Field Office at 575-835-0412 or Rio Puerco Field Office at 505-761-8700 with any questions about these projects. For more information about this and other prescribed burn operations, as well as wildland fire updates, please visit NMFireInfo.com.