CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – With 100 percent of Cibola County still in drought and local water levels steadily declining, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is preparing to conduct a series of prescribed burns this winter aimed at reducing wildfire risk and improving ecosystem health throughout central and western New Mexico.
The BLM announced that, weather permitting, crews will begin burning slash piles between now and February 28, 2026, in a coordinated effort spanning Socorro, Sandoval, Catron, and Cibola counties.
These controlled burns will target dead and downed juniper, piñon, and salt cedar debris accumulated from recent forest thinning projects.
Among the targeted locations is a 280-acre treatment zone near Cerro Comadre, roughly one mile west of County Road 42 in Cibola County. Smoke from that burn may be visible from Highway 53 and nearby communities.
“Prescribed fire remains one of our most effective tools for reducing hazardous fuel loads, improving wildlife habitat, and strengthening our forests’ resilience to future wildfires,” said BLM Public Affairs Specialist Jamie Garcia. “It also supports community safety by decreasing the intensity of future fires.”
Large Scale Burns Planned Several large-scale burns are planned throughout the region. These include: • Cerro Comadre Piles (Cibola County): 280 acres; smoke may be visible from Highways 42 and 53
• Pie Town Piles: 350 acres surrounding the community’s east and south sides
• Alamocita Piles: 25 acres located 20–25 miles northeast of Pie Town
• Tank Canyon Pile Burn: 562 acres near York Ranch Road, north of Pie Town
• Magdalena Slash Pit: 4 miles west of Magdalena • Wild Horse Slash Pit: In Catron County, near the Wild Horse Subdivision • Socorro Nature Area Piles: 62 acres east of Lemitar
• Trials Pile Burn: 50 acres west of San Ysidro in Sandoval County Active ignitions at each site are expected to last between one to five days, but smoke may linger in the air for a week afterward. Fire managers will post warning signs near highways and coordinate with local agencies, including landowners, fire departments, and range permittees.
For the Cerro Comadre burn, Cibola County residents should anticipate intermittent smoke near El Morro, Ramah, and Bluewater Village, especially during calm, cold mornings when smoke can settle into valleys.
Officials emphasized that local weather forecasts will be closely monitored to ensure each ignition falls within safety thresholds.
A Season of Fire, Even in Winter
Though fire is often thought of as a summer concern, dry conditions and accumulated fuels make winter a strategic time for burn operations.
The BLM, working in coordination with the New Mexico Environment Department, ensures that all burns meet air quality standards and minimize public health impacts. Residents with respiratory conditions are encouraged to monitor airnow.gov or nmfireinfo.com for updates.
“Even in December and January, fire risk remains real,” Garcia noted. “Prescribed fire helps reduce the danger before peak wildfire season returns.”
Drought, Water, and Fire Risk
The planned burns come at the tail end of a historic drought year in Cibola County.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor report released November 25, 100 percent of the county remains in drought, with no area classified as droughtfree for over four months.
As of the most recent update, 30.44 percent of the county is classified under Moderate Drought (D1) and 69.56 percent under Severe Drought (D2).
Recent data presents a shift from earlier in the fall, when more than 13 percent of the county had been in Extreme Drought (D3) – a level that has since retreated but still leaves all 27,213 Cibola residents affected.
While October 2025 brought a welcome 0.58-inch above-average boost to rainfall, this slight rebound was not enough to significantly dent long-term dryness.
From January through October, the county remained 1.86 inches below normal, ranking 2025 as the 39th driest year-to-date in 131 years of records.
The prolonged drought continues to weigh on agriculture: the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 448 acres of hay, 30 acres of haylage, over 10,000 cattle, and more than 3,000 sheep remain affected by D1–D2 drought categories in Cibola alone.
Local water data shows a continuation of this dry trend.
Bluewater Lake, the county’s largest reservoir, is holding 4,581 acre-feet of water as of December 8, a slight decline from earlier in the month and a far cry from the nearly 12,000 acre-feet it held at the beginning of 2025.
The lake has lost more than 7,400 acre-feet since early spring.
The Rio San José, meanwhile, remains steady at 1.91 feet, a number unchanged for weeks. The river has held at this shallow level since early September, a clear sign of low inflow and minimal basin recovery.
Both Bluewater and the Rio San José serve as key drought indicators. With winter moisture still uncertain, the health of these systems is critical for ranchers, water managers, and wildfire planners looking ahead to 2026.
Staying Informed
Residents are encouraged to remain aware of upcoming burn notices, particularly those near roads and public lands. According to BLM, smoke may impact visibility and air quality on: Highway 60; Highway 550; County Road 42; York Ranch Road.
The BLM will post roadside signs and update NMFireInfo.com throughout the burn season. For specific questions, the Socorro Field Office can be reached at 575-835-0412, and the Rio Puerco Field Office at 505-761-8700.
For Cibola County, the balance between drought recovery and fire prevention remains delicate. But with careful planning, community coordination, and public awareness, the prescribed fire season offers a chance to make the forests safer before the next fire season begins.