New Mexico Forestry Division

Preparing for wildfire takes a village.

In this month’s The Spark, dive into Community Wildfire Protection Plans, your area's resource to identify risks and plan action steps.

🔥 Get the Spark: facnm.org

Thanks to partners Forest Stewards Guild, @nmfwri.bsky.social and BLM New Mexico!

352 Fire – Final Update Feb. 10, 2026   Update: Yesterday, crews made good progress on stopping progression and securing the fire’s perimeter, raising containment to 70%. Most resources…

352 Fire - Final Update:

70% contained, 2,674 acres. State Road 469 re-opened, evacuations lifted.

This will be the final notification unless there are significant changes.

nmfireinfo.com/2026/02/10/3...

Wildfire Notification – 352 Fire (Quay County) February 9, 2026  Update: The 352 Fire was discovered at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9 near I-40, mile marker 352, north of San Jon in Quay County. The fire is wind dri…

Wildfire Notification: 352 Fire (Quay County)

Estimated 1,000 acres, zero percent contained, north of San Jon. Cause is under investigation.

For complete info: nmfireinfo.com/2026/02/09/wildfire-notification-352-fire-quay-county/

Is there such a thing as too many trees?

Read about it in our Feb. newsletter! Plus:

• Our first-ever direct payment program for post-fire projects
• The launch of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service
• Job opportunities, hot work tips and events

All this and more: mailchi.mp/state/what-w...

Division responded to the 25-acre Wet Weather Fire near Magdalena — one of many in a pretty big uptick in fire starts statewide, including a 500-acre grass fire west of Santa Rosa. Eastern NM is at the highest risk: tie up chains, hold off burning, keep grasses mowed!
Visit nmfireino.com for updates

From AI-powered cameras to satellites, drones and BurnBots, technology is reshaping the world of wildfire

We recently partnered with Pano AI and PNM on 11 wildfire detection cameras in high-risk areas.

Read the latest #WildfireWednesday from Fire Adapted NM on wildfire tech: facnm.org/news

Policy Update on the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) - Southwest Fire Science Consortium This policy update presentation will provide insights into the Fix Our Forests Act, including the uptake of wildfire management recommendations to congress and the potential impacts on federal land ma...

The Fix Our Forests Act: What does it all mean?

Hop onto this webinar to learn more about the biggest piece of wildfire legislation in recent history: its line items, experts’ recommendations, and what’s changed since its inception.

Thanks to Forest Stewards Guild and SW Fire Science Consortium!

Happy #FireFriday! Our Mimbres Fire Crew returned from successfully burning 50 acres of piles with the @forestservice.bsky.social Cibola National Forest. In total, the Hop Patterson Prescribed Fire will treat over 700 acres of broadcast and pile burns.

Well done, Mimbres crew! 🤝

Got that wood stove roaring finally? ❄️

Fire doesn't end when flames die down: You have to dispose of wood ash safely, too. In December, the Hough Fire outside Portales burned 40 acres of grassland. Its origins? Improperly disposed hot ash.

Keep the fire in the stove — use these steps to stay safe:

Got that wood stove roaring finally? ❄️
Fire doesn't end when flames die down: You have to dispose of ash safely, too.
In December, the Hough Fire outside Portales burned 40 acres. Its origins? Improperly disposed hot ash.
Keep the fire in the wood stove — follow these steps to stay safe 🔥

It's never too late for a visit to Smokey Bear Historical Park! This little fox's late-night, self-guided tour was captured on the wildlife cam 🦊

YouTube video by KOAT New Mexico sees alarming rise in tree die-off due to warm weather and insects

Tiny beetle, big impact.

Bark beetles are a native, natural check on forest density. But in warm winters and drought, trees are weakening and beetles are proliferating. In our overstocked forests, their impacts are dramatic.

Watch the @koat7.bsky.social story: youtube.com/watch?v=9QTx7cnLXCo

In southern Taos County, the collaborative McGaffey Forest and Watershed Restoration Project will join Carson National Forest to:
• Restore watersheds
• Provide wood and jobs
• Remove invasives and reduce pest stress
• Reduce wildfire threat

📰: fs.usda.gov/r03/carson

Dry, warm winter could mean a bad fire season Abnormal wildland fire potential predicted in eastern New Mexico for February, March

Warm winter, low snowpack and drought raise wildfire risk in eastern NM this spring.

You can reduce that risk:
• Mow grasses
• Make a fuel break b/w vegetation and your home
• Park cars over pavement/dirt, not grass
• Tie up vehicle chains
• Use spark arrestors

Story at @abqjournal.bsky.social

What does life look like after high school? How 'bout working:
• Outdoors
• On a crew
• To protect your forests and community

@GEARUPNewMexico showed high schoolers about a career in wildland firefighting -- check out their video!

📽: youtube.com/watch?v=vTgph-XZPxo

Tiny beetles are killing New Mexico's forests at an alarming rate Bark beetle damage has more than doubled for two consecutive years as warmer winters extend the insects' active season across the state.

Bark beetle tree mortality more than doubled for the second year as winters warm.

The good news: Thinning forests helps trees better access soil moisture and repel pests. It's also a priority mitigation strategy for another rising danger: wildfire.

Read the full story at @abqjournal.bsky.social

Sometimes, big things come in small packages: Embers are responsible for 80% of homes burning in a wildfire.
Good news: Protecting your homes is largely in your control. Check out this month's The Spark for small steps with a huge impact.
Thx Forest Stewards Guild, @nmfwri.bsky.social and BLM NM!

Want some cozy reading this snowy Friday? Our first monthly newsletter just dropped! It's packed with stories, tips and photos from the field.

Visit tinyurl.com/ytpw6aus to check it out. Want 'em delivered to your inbox? Sign up at tinyurl.com/24nbcy59.

From Sept. to Dec., this project just north of Silver City has:

• Thinned 947 of 1,222 acres
• Returned densely overgrown pinon-juniper to savannah woodlands
• Reduced both competition stress and wildfire risk to the surrounding communities.

And how 'bout that view?

Wildland firefighters can get $450K from the federal government for smoke-related cancers under the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act passed in December.

The bill is hailed as a "critical victory" for firefighters.

Read more at wildfiretoday.com.

This #FireFriday, we revisit the Palisades and Eaton Fires that burned one year ago – and lessons learned.

An IBHS report found: The most effective action you can take is hardening your home. Every small action builds our collective resilience.

Read more about the findings at facnm.org/news

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – the old adage applies to wildfires, too.

State Forester Laura McCarthy shares why every dollar spent on prevention saves suppression costs, properties, watersheds and lives several times over.

Read her op-ed: tinyurl.com/mtuwpccw

Piñon pine die-off in New Mexico threatens holiday nuts Piñon pine nuts are a holiday staple in New Mexico, but recent challenges have impacted their availability.

Our Forest Health Coordinator took some time to visit with KOB4 last week and help explain what's been happening to pinon trees in New Mexico lately -- and about the beetle that's responsible.

www.kob.com/new-mexico/p...

Wildfire preparedness is year round. Use your winter down time to:

• Create an action plan
• Build your go bag
• Map your evacuation routes
• Coordinate family communication plans

Read The Spark at facnm.org/news

Thanks to partners @nmfwri.bsky.social, BLM New Mexico and Forest Stewards Guild!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Not in this weather.

With record high temps and "snow drought," take extra precautions: Check the weather and always plan ahead to contain and put out your fire— or hold off until conditions are better.

For more on conditions, visit tinyurl.com/4f88xhen.

Want to work in #wildfire and train for #hotshot status?

Our Pecos River crew based out of Las Vegas, N.M., is hiring for a superintendent. Manage high complexity incidents and lead a crew to hotshot status.

Position closes Dec. 29. Apply at emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/join.

YouTube video by New Mexico Forestry Division Virtual Tour of Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan, NM

This holiday season cruise by Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan, NM.

Visit the only museum and park of its kind in the U.S. -- dedicated to Smokey, fire prevention, firefighters and forest management.

Take a peek inside with this short virtual tour:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jelr...

What America Can Learn from Its Largest Wildfire of the Year When Dragon Bravo ignited, in Grand Canyon National Park, officials decided to let it burn. Then the fire spread out of control.

Managing wildfire: resourceful or risky?

Read how the Dragon Bravo Fire, the largest wildfire of 2025, “ ... did not lead to a crisis of faith in managed wildfires. If anything, it seemed to have strengthened firefighters’ convictions.”

#WildfireWednesday

YouTube video by Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance Nature-Based Restoration: Forest Ecosystem Recovery with Planting Trees

New Mexicans are hard at work restoring burn scars and forests.

Check out Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance's latest video for an in-depth look at reforestation work, from nurseries to burn scars.

Hear from researchers and foresters — and learn the best way to plant a tree!

Spring seedling orders are open!

We offer low-cost seedlings in 60+ varieties for landowners to use in conservation projects, from reforestation to windbreaks to wildlife habitat. (You can even get a start on next year’s Christmas tree farm🎄)

Learn more and order at emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/seedlings.