BLM Farmington Field Office plans prescribed pile burns near Cedar Hill and West Navajo
FARMINGTON, N.M. – Beginning Nov. 1, 2024, and continuing through out the month, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to conduct prescribed pile burn operations in two locations in the Farmington Field Office. One unit will be seven acres in size, located just south of Cedar Hill. The second unit will be 12 acres in size, located near NM 511, between mile marker 17 and 20, approximately five miles north/northwest of Navajo Lake State Park.
These operations are weather-dependent and will take several days to complete. Fire management crews will monitor daily weather to decide which date the burns will take place. Smoke may be visible from NM 511, CR 4600, U.S. 64, and U.S. 550. Signs will be posted along roadways to inform motorists who may potentially be affected by smoke. Motorists are reminded to use caution by reducing speed and watching for fire personnel and equipment.
The purpose of this project is to reduce flammable accumulations of vegetation around the community of Cedar Hill on BLM-managed lands and to improve the health of the piñon/juniper woodland. Prescribed burns are an effective tool to reduce fire hazards and reinvigorate vegetation. Reducing the volume of vegetation under the prescribed conditions mimics the natural fire cycle, which greatly reduces the dangers and risks associated with unplanned wildfires.
By methodically reducing this fuels buildup, prescribed burns can disrupt the spread of wildfire, enhancing the ability of firefighters to protect residential and commercial properties, as well as vital infrastructure. The growing frequency of extreme weather events, coupled with prolonged periods of drought, has intensified the vulnerability of New Mexico’s forests and grasslands. Land management agencies, recognizing these evolving risks, are increasingly integrating prescribed fire into their long-term planning efforts, protecting not just individual communities but the wider landscape.
Fire specialists develop prescribed burn plans that identify – or prescribe – the conditions to reach their objectives safely. Burn plans include considerations of temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation and conditions for dispersal of smoke, among other things.
Prior to and during all prescribed fires, fire managers coordinate with the New Mexico Environment Department and follow all air quality regulations. For more information about smoke and protecting your health, please visit nmfireinfo.com/smoke-management/.
For further information, contact BLM Fuels Technician Jake Quintana at 505-564-7751 or BLM Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist Reginald Antonio at 505-564-7782. Follow implementation at NMFireInfo.com or follow @nmfireinfo or facebook.com/nmfireinfo.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.