State Lifts Fire Restrictions — But Local Burn Bans Remain in Place

  • Rain on September 6, 2025, left Broadview Acres in North of Cibola County flooded. The photographed area is along an area of land which once housed an entire community but today is a ghost town with decrepit buildings and the remnants of a once thriving community. The ground, heavy with clay, could not soak up the deluge in time, creating flooding conditions. Courtesy Photo
    Rain on September 6, 2025, left Broadview Acres in North of Cibola County flooded. The photographed area is along an area of land which once housed an entire community but today is a ghost town with decrepit buildings and the remnants of a once thriving community. The ground, heavy with clay, could not soak up the deluge in time, creating flooding conditions. Courtesy Photo
  • A 30-day precipitation map from Drought.gov shows much of Cibola County receiving well below normal rainfall through September 5, 2025. Shades of brown indicate areas where precipitation has been 50 percent or less of average, with only limited pockets of near-normal conditions. Courtesy Photo
    A 30-day precipitation map from Drought.gov shows much of Cibola County receiving well below normal rainfall through September 5, 2025. Shades of brown indicate areas where precipitation has been 50 percent or less of average, with only limited pockets of near-normal conditions. Courtesy Photo

    Diego Lopez, Editor CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. — The New Mexico State Forester has officially rescinded fire restrictions in Cibola and 16 other counties, citing recent monsoon rains and reduced wildfire threat. The order, effective 8 a.m. Friday, September 5, lifts restrictions on smoking, fireworks, campfires, and open burning on non-federal, non-tribal, and nonmunicipal lands across the affected counties.

    While the state order marks a hopeful shift, local burn bans remain in effect.

    Cibola County is still under a countywide burn ban per Ordinance 2022003, prohibiting all open burning and fire pits until further notice. This includes the Village of Milan, which follows the county’s most stringent fire restrictions.

    Meanwhile, the City of Grants continues to enforce its own burn ban, reminding residents that all outdoor burning remains prohibited and that the county remains under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, per the city’s website.

    Bluewater Lake State Park remains under Fire Restrictions II, which prohibit smoking within five feet of brush, open burns, and use of non-commissioned fire pits.

    As of August 26, the U.S. Drought Monitor still shows 100 percent of Cibola County in drought, with 65.46 percent in Severe Drought (D2) and 34.54 percent in Extreme Drought (D3).

    Despite the easing at the state level, fire danger remains high in certain areas — including the Mount Taylor Ranger District, which continues to report high fire danger per U.S. Forest Service data.

    Residents are urged to stay informed, follow local guidelines, and continue practicing fire safety.