Prescribed burns planned in Lincoln County
Organization:
BLM Office:
Media Contact:
Roswell, N.M. - Continuing this Spring, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be conducting prescribed burn operations about 10 miles northeast of Ruidoso and 6 miles southeast of Capitan in Lincoln County. There are two burn units totalling 780 acres located within the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area. Another 20-acre unit is located two miles east of Lincoln on Tract 4 of the Rio Bonito Acquired Lands.
These operations are weather dependent and will take several days to complete. Smoke from the burn may be visible from Capitan, Lincoln, Ruidoso and other surrounding communities. 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 these prescribed burns is to remove slash from previous thinning projects and to maintain previously thinned areas. This will help to decrease the risk of damage from wildfires and loss to adjacent property. Other goals are to improve watershed and habitat conditions, increase the health, vigor and competitive ability of the native plant community and reduce the density of exotic, invader and introduced species.
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 1-877-695-1663. For more information on this prescribed burn and the BLM fire and hazardous fuels reduction program, please call Nathan Curnutt at 575-627-0311. You can also follow implementation of this project on NMFireInfo.com, on Twitter @nmfireinfo or on 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.