BLM Taos Field Office plans prescribed pile burns near Cerro
TAOS, N.M. – Beginning Dec. 9, 2024, and continuing through the winter, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be conducting prescribed pile burn operations near Cerro, N.M. The unit will be 133 acres in size. BLM firefighters and personnel will conduct and monitor the projects. These operations are weather dependent and will take several days to complete.
During the burn period, fire management crews will monitor daily weather to decide which date the burn will take place. Smoke may be visible from NM 522. 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 the project is to reduce flammable accumulations of vegetation around the community of Cerro on BLM-managed lands and to improve the health of the piñon/juniper woodland. Prescribed burning is one of the most effective tools 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. BLM, recognizing these evolving risks, continues to integrate prescribed fire into 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 https://nmfireinfo.com/smoke-management/.
For further information, contact BLM Taos District Fuels Technician Ronald Esquibel at 575-751-4742 or Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist Reginald Antonio at 505-564-7608. You can also follow the implementation of this project on NMFireInfo.com 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.