Incident Publication

Forest Service News Release 

Contact: Claudia Brookshire 

(505) 438-5320 

claudia.brookshire@usda.gov  

fs.usda.gov/santafe  

Pile Burn Season Begins on the Santa Fe National Forest 

Due to weather conditions any broadcast burns tentatively planned are canceled 

Santa Fe, N.M., November 7, 2024— With recent snowfall, Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) fire managers are preparing for winter prescribed fire activities. Pile burns are tentatively planned as early as next week and will occur between November and April in the Cuba, Coyote, Jemez, and Espanola ranger districts. Prescribed fire projects are intended to reduce hazardous fuels, enhance wildlife habitat, and improve forest health.  The decision to proceed with each pile burn will depend on multiple factors, including snowpack, fuel moisture levels, air quality, ventilation, forecast weather and wind, and resource availability.  

Pile burning is meant to treat slash, like branches, piled by thinning crews with the aim to reduce flammable fuels and mitigate the risk of large high intensity wildfires. Local communities may experience short duration smoke impacts. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautions. To learn more about the New Mexico Environment Department Smoke Management Program visit Smoke Management Program (nm.gov). 

Fire managers will look for ideal weather windows to implement the following pile burn projects:  

Cuba District 

• Tusas West – 49 acres located east of Forest Road 535 and West of Forest Road 532 along a ridge that runs north/south. This burn unit is located approximately 1.5 miles southwest of Rancho del Chaparral Girl Scout Ranch.  
• American Parks – 208 acres located on the north and south side of New Mexico State Road 126 and approximately 10 miles from Cuba N.M. This project area extends to the community of Wetherill where piles are located on the southwestern edge of the community.  
• Deer Lake – 77 acres is located adjacent to the Deer Lakes community and utilizes New Mexico State Road 126 as the southern unit boundary. This unit is approximately 5 miles from Cuba N.M. 

Coyote District 

• Lino - 99 acres located adjacent to Forest Road 461KA, a spur road off Forest Road 103, south of New Mexico State Road 96. 
• Gobernador – 95 acres located on the north end of the district adjacent to Forest Road 169.  
• District staff will hold an open house Friday November 15 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Coyote District Office located at 20 Private Drive 1707, Coyote, NM 87012. Fire managers will be available to answer questions about pile burn projects.  

Jemez District 

• Horseshoe Pile – 239 acres located adjacent to State Road 126 and Forest Road 376 near the community of La Cueva.  
• Triangle Pile – 43 acres located adjacent to Forest Road 376 and Forest Road 604 near the community of La Cueva.  
• Hill Pile – 45 acres located adjacent to Forest Road 376 south of the intersection with Forest Road 604.  
• San Diego Egress – 17 acres located adjacent to Ponderosa Road and New Mexico State Road 4, up the canyon from Jemez Springs.  
• Seven Springs – 33 acres located off New Mexico State Road 126 near the community of Seven Springs and State Fish Hatchery.  

Española District 

• North Ridge Unit (Hyde Park Wildland Urban Interface) – 52 acres  

To Learn More 

• As pile burn locations and dates are confirmed, the SFNF will post regular updates to our SFNF Website and social media pages (Facebook and X). 
• To join the forest news release email list, send a request to our public affairs inbox SM.FS.sfnfpao@usda.gov 
• Prescribed fire information will be posted to NM Fire Info and InciWeb.  
• Districts fire staff will contact residents, businesses, landowners, cooperators, local fire departments and smoke sensitive individuals, and proper signage will be placed where appropriate and needed. Contact district offices for specific information.  

Location: San Bernardino County, CA                                                         Start Date: September 5, 2024

Size: 43,978 acres                                                                                         Percent Contained: 98%

Cause: Human                                                                                            Personnel: 1 Type 1 crew and 1 Engine

CURRENT SITUATION:

Mill Creek Hotshots and one engine are assigned to the incident. With drier weather, smoke will still be visible from the interior, but there is no threat to the containment line. A night reconnaissance flight was conducted Nov. 12 for additional data. There are no areas of concern. There is potential moisture in the forecast for Friday and Saturday.

WEATHER:

There is potential moisture in the forecast for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15-16.

CLOSURES:

San Bernardino National Forest has issued closures for areas surrounding the Line Fire. For more information and to see the map use this link -  https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sbnf/?cid=FSEPRD1181411. 

Highway 330 remains closed from Highland Avenue to Highway 18 as CalTrans performs repairs to the road and guardrails. 

EVACUATIONS: 

There are currently no evacuation warnings or orders for communities in or around the Line Fire. 

Missoula Ranger District: Fire managers plan to burn up to 7 acres of hand piles on the Granite Graves project located at the junction of Granite Graves Creek and Highway 12.  Smoke may be visible from Highway 12. 

Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District:  Fire managers may burn up to 30 acres 11 miles west of Thompson Falls.  Smoke may be visible from Highway 471.

Seeley Lake Ranger District: The Seeley Ranger District will conduct up to 60 acres of hand pile burning located 5 miles northwest of Seeley. Smoke may be visible from Highway 83 and Seeley Lake.

Superior Ranger District: Pile burning operations are planned for the Johnson Camp landing piles located 5 miles northeast of Superior in the Johnson Creek drainage. Smoke may be visible from Superior. 

Missoula Ranger District: Fire managers plan to burn up to 40 acres of hand piles on the Granite Graves project area 3 miles up the Howard Creek drainage. Smoke may be visible from Highway 12. 

Ninemile Ranger District: Firefighters plan to continue pile burn operations on the 7-acre Frenchtown Face project, located approximately 4.5 miles east of the Ranger District in the Sixmile drainage.  Smoke will likely be seen from Frenchtown and the surrounding area. 

Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District: Fire managers may burn up to 40 acres of piles 3 miles northwest of Paradise.  Smoke may be visible from Highway 200. 

Superior Ranger District: Pile burning operations will continue today on the Superior Ranger District 3 miles northeast of Superior in the Idaho Gulch drainage. Fire managers also plan to burn up to 10 acres of hand piles .5 miles south of Haugan.  Smoke may be visible from Superior. 

Photos from the Knowles pile burn, November 12, 2024

WILLOWS, Calif., Nov. 12, 2024—Forest personnel are planning several prescribed fire operations at campgrounds and administrative sites this fall, winter and spring, as weather patterns shift to cooler temperatures and wetter conditions. 

Grindstone District fire personnel are starting with pile burning in higher elevations and will be moving down to lower elevations as weather conditions permit. On Wednesday, Nov. 13 and throughout the week, firefighters will be attempting to burn piles at Board Camp and Snow Basin. Pile burning may also occur at Letts Lake, Log Springs, Ides Cove, Paskenta station and Red Bluff Recreation Area.

In the coming weeks, Upper Lake and Covelo Ranger District fire personnel are planning to burn piles located along roadsides in various locations, including Bartlett Mountain, M1 Road, Pine Mountain, Horse Mountain and Packsaddle. 

Pile burning may also occur at administrative sites, including Hammerhorn, Little Doe and Deer Valley campgrounds. Potential understory burning operations include Howard Mill, Westshore, Pillsbury Homesites and possible North Shore project. 

Fire managers conduct prescribed fire activities during the safest possible “burn windows” in the coming months. Numerous factors including wind, humidity, air quality, fuel moisture and availability of fire crew personnel must be met before crews are authorized to move forward with burning.

Residents and visitors are asked to avoid areas where prescribed fires are being conducted. Some smoke may be visible. Fires are carefully monitored. Local fire and government authorities are notified prior to burn days and kept informed throughout operations. 

Prescribed fire is a tool that uses fire under planned ignitions to mimic the natural role of fire in the environment. Without fire, hazardous fuels can build up and carry wildfire from the forest floor to tree canopies, creating extreme fire behavior that poses risk to firefighters, surrounding communities and natural resources.

All burning activities are weather dependent. Maps, locations, photos and updates on planned prescribed burn activities will be available on Inciweb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/camnf-mendocino-nf-fall-2024spring-2025-rx-fire-projects.

Pending favorable conditions, firefighters on the Lolo National Forest are planning to conduct pile burn operations today to reduce hazardous fuels from previous vegetation management operations. 

Missoula Ranger District: Pending conditions, firefighters plan to burn 3 acres of machine piles located in the Grizzly Campground up the Ranch Creek drainage.  Fire managers may also burn up to 57 acres of hand piles on the Granite Graves project area 4 miles up the Howard Creek drainage. Smoke may be visible from Highway 12. 

Ninemile Ranger District: Firefighters plan to conduct pile burn operations on the 41-acre Frenchtown Face project, located approximately 4.5 miles east of the Ranger District in the Sixmile drainage.  Smoke will likely be seen from Frenchtown and the surrounding area. 

Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District: Pile burning is planned for the Knowles and Henry Deemer project areas.  Fire managers may burn up to 30 acres of hand piles east of Paradise and 40 acres of landing piles 3 miles northwest of Paradise.  Smoke may be visible from Paradise, Knowles, Quinns, Highway 200 and Highway 135. 

Acreage Targeted:150

Acreage Completed:150

Elevation: 4700 

Location: Firing from Lewis Creek to Deer Cove Creek

Firing start Time:0930

Firing Completed:1330  (No control Issues)

Plan for Monday 11/11: Hold, secure, and monitor previous days firing operations, continue mop up at least 100 ft around all structures, and mitigate fire weakened trees that have potential to impact the road.

Smoke Report: Smoke rise 3000ft AGL then light dispersal to East

Fire Behavior: Low intensity in the understory and moderate intensity up high in heavy brush component, minimal torching, 4-6 ft avg scorch height, with surface flame lengths Averaging 6-8ft in heavy dead and down with 2-3ft avg flame lengths in the needle cast oak litter.

Consumption: 70-80% consumption on 1000 hr fuels, with a clean finished understory burn throughout

Primary Carrier: Needle cast, shrub, Grass, Heavy concentration of dead down

WX: SW 5-7 w/ Gusts to 8, with a low RH of 24@1200

Personnel on Scene

2 –SQF E347-SQF E-323

1 – SEKI E-42

1 – Arrowhead C91 C552

1 – Type 2 crew Scorpions 1

1 – UAS Module

1-Fire Efx Module

Acreage Targeted:150

Acreage Completed:150

Elevation: 4700 

Location: Hotel Creek West to The Lewis Creek cabins

Firing start Time:0930

Firing Completed:1540 (No control Issues)

Plan for Saturday 11/10: 150 Acres From Lewis Creek Waste Water Treatment headed West just past Deer Cove Creek to tie in black to black on 180

Smoke Report: Smoke rise 2000ft AGL then light dispersal to East

Fire Behavior: Low intensity SW aspect, minimal torching, 4-6 ft avg scorch height, with surface flame lengths Averaging 3-4ft and heavy dead and down consisted of 6-8ft avg flame lengths.

Consumption: 70-80% consumption on 1000 hr fuels, with a clean finished understory burn throughout

Primary Carrier: Needle cast, shrub, Grass, Heavy concentration of dead down

WX: SW 5-7 w/ Gusts to 8,  with a low RH of 24, RHs started pull up at about 1400 and fuels were still actively receptive and consuming well

Personnel on Scene

2 –SQF E347-SQF E-323

1 – SEKI E-42

1 – Arrowhead C91 C552

1 – Scorpions 1

1 – UAS Module

1-Fire Efx Module