Feds limit fire during bone-dry summer

It was to be expected: all public lands in Taos County are now under severe fire restrictions.

The Bureau of Land Management imposed fire restrictions on that agency’s lands in several Northern New Mexico counties, including Taos, as of Tuesday (June 5).

The move follows the Stage 2 fire restrictions imposed on the Carson National Forest in May. Campfires, charcoal grills and other open flames are prohibited on both BLM and forest service lands. Neighboring Santa Fe National Forest is closed to recreational activities.

Fire restrictions are also in place within the town of Taos, unincorporated areas of Taos County and state-owned land.

For months, fire managers watched with bated breath as the drought worsened across the state, especially here in Northern New Mexico. Then two weeks ago, the Ute Park Fire ignited and overnight grew into a massive situation, forcing evacuations in Cimarron and Ute Park, closing down the highway east of Eagle Nest and drawing over 500 federal firefighters to the scene.

That fire is now mostly contained — 92 percent as of Wednesday (June 13) — but the threat of fire elsewhere in Taos and Colfax counties is ever present.

As of June 7, 18 percent of New Mexico, including nearly all of Taos County, is under the worst category of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The Carson National Forest responded to several fires June 5. Four lightning-caused fires totaled three-quarters of an acre in the Jicarilla Ranger District. Firefighters responded to three lightning-caused fires in the Camino Real Ranger District (including one southeast of Ojo Sarco and another west of the Santa Barbara campground) and one illegal campfire at the El Rito Campground.