Stage II restrictions now in effect at El Malpais and El Morro as local burn bans continue
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – As drought deepens across Cibola County and fire danger remains high across New Mexico, federal and local agencies are tightening restrictions on outdoor burning, campfires, fireworks and other ignition sources.
The National Park Service announced that Stage II fire restrictions took effect June 22 at El Malpais and El Morro national monuments. The restrictions come as Cibola County remains entirely in drought, with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor showing 64.48 percent of the county in Extreme Drought and 35.52 percent in Severe Drought.
The restrictions are intended to reduce the chance of human-caused fire during a period of dry vegetation, high temperatures, low moisture and wind events.
“At this point, it does not take much,” is the practical message behind the restrictions. A spark from a campfire, fireworks, a cigarette, a vehicle, a tool or an engine can become a fast-moving fire when grass, brush and trees are dry enough to burn.
According to the National Park Service, the following activities are now prohibited within El Malpais and El Morro national monuments: building, maintaining or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal or wood stove fire, including in developed recreation areas; smoking except inside an enclosed vehicle; welding or using torches with an open flame; operating internal combustion engines off paved or graveled roads; and using firearms, explosives, fireworks, rockets, exploding targets, tracers or incendiary ammunition. Liquid petroleum and LPG-fueled stoves, lanterns and heating devices are allowed if they meet safety specifications. Generators may be used only if they have an approved spark arresting device and are placed in an area cleared of overhead and surrounding flammable material for at least three feet. Violations may carry penalties of up to $5,000, up to six months in jail, or both, according to the National Park Service release.
The Village of Milan also enacted fire restrictions effective June 16, citing dry conditions and high wind events.
Under the village’s hazardous fire conditions ordinance, campfires, open fires, open burning of vegetation or rubbish, careless disposal of burning materials and fireworks are prohibited within village boundaries. Violations may be treated as a misdemeanor and carry fines of up to $500. Barbecue grills and familiar outdoor cooking devices are not included in the village’s definition of campfires or open burning.
Cibola County also remains under a countywide burn ban restricting open burning and fire pits. Cibola County Fire Marshal Dustin Middleton said unincorporated areas of the county are under an aerial fireworks ban.
The restrictions follow a statewide drought and fire declaration issued May 20 by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who warned that New Mexico is facing historically dangerous conditions. According to the governor’s office, New Mexico’s snowpack is at a historic low, spring temperatures have reached record highs, runoff is at record lows and river flows remain below average. The governor’s office also reported that New Mexico saw 366 wildfires during the first four months of 2026 – twice the number recorded during the same period in 2025.
The snowpack crisis is reflected in Cibola, where snowpack collapsed by mid-march and has been felt in the Bluewater basin in the form of early drawdown.
“Everyone should take drought conditions seriously and refrain from campfires and open burning,” State Forester Laura McCarthy said in the governor’s announcement. “You can protect your home and loved ones by creating defensible space, removing dead leaves and grass and following state fire restrictions.”
For Cibola County, the drought picture remains especially concerning.
Drought.gov data shows 27,213 people in Cibola County – the entire county population – are affected by drought. The county is also experiencing its 35th driest year to date over the past 132 years, with January through May precipitation 1.39 inches below normal.
The danger is not simply that the county is dry. The problem is the combination of dry fuels, heat, wind and human activity.
Dry grasses can ignite quickly. Brush and piñonjuniper can carry flames into larger vegetation. Wind can push a small fire across open ground before crews have time to stop it. During extreme drought, vegetation that may look normal from a distance can still burn readily, especially during hot afternoons when humidity drops.
Local officials have been warning residents for months that drought conditions increase the risk of rapid fire growth. Previous Cibola Citizen drought reporting has documented the county’s long-running fire concerns, including burn bans, shrinking water supplies and the role of dry vegetation in wildfire spread. Earlier drought coverage also noted that local fire officials have repeatedly urged residents to clear dry vegetation, follow burn bans and prepare emergency plans.
Residents and visitors should check restrictions before recreating outdoors, especially at El Malpais, El Morro, Bluewater Lake, Mount Taylor, the Zuni Mountains and rural parts of the county.
Restrictions may differ depending on whether land is managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, state agencies, the county, the City of Grants, the Village of Milan or tribal governments.