New Mexico Forestry Division

10/15/2026

Work is humming along in Corrales to remove invasives from the bosque.

These nonnatives often act as ladder fuels for fire to climb from the ground into the canopy. Our cottonwoods aren't adapted for fire, so fire can easily scorch these water-loving trees (like in the Unified Fire back in March, which burned quickly through the bosque in Valencia County).

This project aims to reduce fire risk, provide habitat for wildlife and promote native plant growth across 40 acres.

Well done, crews! 🌳

10/09/2026

About this time of year, fire awareness messaging starts shifting from updates about active wildfires to announcements about planned prescribed fires.

Preparing for and carrying out a prescribed burn involves much more than a simple determination of whether the “weather is good.”

Every day leading up to, during and after ignition, the burn boss and planning team evaluate a range of factors to determine if conditions are appropriate to start, continue or stop a burn.

Check out this week’s Wildfire Wednesday from Fire Adapted New Mexico to learn about the factors that influence prescribed fire decision making, including:

→ Weather and fuel conditions
→ Smoke management and air quality
→ Staffing, equipment, and operational readiness
→ Decisions made during the burn

Plus, poke through a full burn plan from the Gallinas Watershed Rx (in short: it's comprehensive).

📰 Read the full Wildfire Wednesday: facnm.org/news/2026/9/28/wildfire-wednesday-194

10/09/2026

We're hiring for two critical wildland fire positions:

🔥UAS aviation specialist (Rio Rancho) - Deliver critical aerial intelligence to strengthen wildfire response and protect life, property, and essential infrastructure across the state.

🔥Wildland fire management officer (Cimarron) - Coordinate northeastern New Mexico's wildland fire emergency staff, engines and equipment to respond at a moment's notice.

Join our committed team and help steward healthy forests for future generations. Learn more and apply today! Visit www.emnrd.nm.gov/join

Spread the word!📣

10/08/2026

Another use of good fire 🔥🎈 Happy Balloon Fiesta, New Mexico!

10/08/2026

10/07/2026

It's tree planting time!

Fall is the optimal season for planting trees. Summer's heat has subsided and moisture is usually more reliable (this fall more so than most).

So if you've got it, plant it!

Need a bit more assistance? Follow our steps for caring for and handling seedlings, including proper planting techniques.

🌱 Visit www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/seedlings/planting-and-seedling-care

10/07/2026

When you drive through the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon burn scar, the miles of standing dead timber looks awful and feels even worse.

But despite the grim view today, there is immense hope for the future of New Mexico’s burned areas. We can intentionally reforest these areas with resilient, drought-hardened seedlings, restore critical watersheds across the state and breathe life back into our forests.

On Nov. 3, New Mexico voters will have an opportunity to vote on General Obligation Bond 3, a $351.6 million capital measure that includes $17.7 million for the New Mexico Reforestation Center in Mora County, planned as the nation’s largest research-based tree nursery.

The Reforestation Center will provide the tree seedlings, improve the rate of survival once planted and engage New Mexico scientists to build the knowledge base for restoring the vitality of forested areas we’ve lost to wildfire.

It will take a generational effort. But it is possible to transform burn scars into thriving forests of the future.

Vote on GO Bond 3.

🌱 Read the full story: abqjournal.com/opinion/opinion-conservation-is-on-the-ballot/3131271

10/05/2026

Dry conifer forests in the Jemez that experience high-intensity fires are not growing back. Instead, the burned areas are converting to a whole different ecosystem of grasses and shrubs.

A new study – published in August by New Mexico researchers – predicts that only 25 percent of those forests may be left in less than 100 years.

This shocking potential for permanent forest loss, and the ways we could work to prevent it, pose questions that require looking both backward and forward in time – questions modern practitioners of dendrochronology are working to answer through the stories of the trees.

🌲 Read the story: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3ebd1903957c43f1baef9aa3e4b527ea

Plus:

⦁ Hot tip: Cooler weather is here and it’s time to head outside. Drown your campfires, use spark arresters on tools and check weather conditions before burning.
⦁ A recent botany outing discovered a new population of a rare plant in the Sandia Mountains
⦁ A new video game developed by Highlands students turns home hardening virtual! Can you find all the wildfire hazards?
⦁ This month’s wildfire outlook: It gets drier

🌲 Check out this month’s newsletter: mailchi.mp/state/nmfd-october-2026-newsletter-5151890

10/02/2026

Scenes from a rainy week 🌫️

09/30/2026

It’s been a very rainy month.

After a particularly hot and dry summer, September has so far seen three times the average amount of rainfall. All this moisture all at once has caused severe flooding from Mora to Socorro to Navajo Nation. The threat has been particularly acute in areas where wildfire has burned away vegetation or turned soils hydrophobic.

The good news: There are straightforward measures you can take to stabilize soil and ease flooding.

From log erosion barriers to one-rock dams to mulch, there’s a suite of low-tech methods you can use to stabilize your land – often with materials found right on site.

For more, check out our Post-Fire Stabilization Guide. It outlines detailed steps for recovery. We always recommend consulting with a professional (like your Forestry Division District Office!) for site-specific recommendations.

📰 Get the guide:https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/Post-fire-manual-1.pdf