Prescribed fire projects bring smoke to RR

Rio Rancho residents were seeing and smelling smoke the morning of Sept. 27, but it wasn't from a disastrous fire.

Fire managers from the Santa Fe National Forest began prescribed fire projects Thursday, and it will continue for five days. Additional prescribed fires will occur periodically for the next few months as the forest service says it chose to do the fires in the fall.

"Jemez Ranger District plans to begin ignitions on the 1,701-acre North Joaquin prescribed fire project on Thursday, September 26. Fire managers are planning five days for implementation, using a combination of aerial and hand ignitions. Smoke may be visible from Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Jemez Springs, San Ysidro, Cuba, and the Pueblo of Jemez. The project area is located approximately 6 miles west of Jemez Springs and 3 miles south of Rancho de Chaparral Girl Scout Camp. The North Joaquin prescribed fire is part of the Chaparral National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision with the objective to restore fire-dependent ecosystems, protect communities from high-severity wildfire, and enhance wildlife habitat. Prescribed fires are managed with firefighter and public safety as priority," the service said..

It also adds that a final decision to proceed with a prescribed fire on the SFNF depends on agency administrator approval, resource availability, and favorable conditions including fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecast weather. After ignitions are complete, fire crews will move into a strategy of securing and holding the fire within control lines and patrolling the fire area to mitigate the risk of fire spread.

There will be a temporary area and road closure during project implementation through midnight Tuesday to protect public health and safety.

The closure order covers:

• The described area starting at the intersection of FR 376 and FR 534, following FR 534 west to the intersection with FR 376H, then following FR 376H southeast to the intersection with FR 376, and FR 376 north to the intersection with FR 534.
• The described road is FR 376 from the gate north of Gilman Tunnels to the gate at Porter Landing.

The Jemez Ranger Station will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, for Joaquin North Prescribed Fire Information or to purchase fuelwood permits. For more information on the North Joaquin prescribed fire, contact the Jemez District Office at 575-829-3535 or visit the office at 51 Woodsy Lane, Jemez Springs. To learn more about fire management, visit the SFNF website, NM Fire Info and SFNF social media on Facebook and X.