Prescribed Burns Planned in Lincoln County
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ROSWELL, N.M. - Beginning in late October 2018, and continuing through the winter, the Bureau of Land Management will be conducting prescribed burn operations about 10 miles northeast of Ruidoso and 5 miles southeast of Capitan in Lincoln County. The burn operations will occur in three prescribed fire units within the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area:
- Benches Unit: 254 acres located above the Rio Bonito River to the north
- West Mesa Unit: 223 acres located 5 miles southwest of the junction of SR 220 and US 380
- South Mesa Unit: 300 acres located west of Sierra Blanca Regional Airport
Smoke from the burns may be visible from Capitan, Lincoln, Ruidoso and other surrounding communities. Signs will be posted along roadways to inform motorists of possible smoke hazards impacting visibility. In these areas, motorists are reminded to reduce speed and watch for fire personnel and equipment.
These operations are dependent upon weather conditions and will take several days to complete. The purpose of the prescribed burns is to reduce the amount of vegetation available to wildfire, decrease the risk of loss to adjacent property, and improve watershed conditions. Other goals are to increase health, vigor, and competitive ability of the native plant community and to reduce the density of exotics, invader, and introduced species. The burn projects will also improve wildlife habitat and contribute to the available nutrients and water cycles by decreasing the amount of decadent vegetation.
For more information on this prescribed burn and the BLM fire and hazardous fuels reduction program, please call Nathan Curnutt at 575-627-0311. The BLM encourages public land users to continue to be careful with fire. To report a wildfire on public land, please call Alamogordo Interagency Dispatch at 877-695-1663.
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.