12/9/25:
The Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) has implemented prescribed fire operations today on piles within the Sulphur Unit on the Sandia Ranger District. This multi-day operation will continue as weather conditions allow and pending all required approvals.

Fire managers are taking advantage of recent precipitation, snow covered ground, cooler temperatures, and relative humidity recoveries that create suitable conditions for burning piled slash and woody debris from earlier forest restoration work. We use prescribed fire to reduce overgrown vegetation, this helps to protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from extreme, high-severity wildfires.

Sandia Ranger District Prescribed Fire planned:

• Sulphur Unit Prescribed Pile Burn: 18 acres of piles within the Sulphur unit in the Sandia Piles Rx plan. The pile burn area is in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Albuquerque, Tijeras, Edgewood and Moriarty, NM. Map attached.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

11/16/24: Fire crews for the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NG) have successfully completed a total of 12 acres of pile burning with yesterday and today’s prescribe fire (Rx) ignitions within the 34 acres of the previously announced Sulphur Rx Fire Piles on the Sandia Ranger District. Fire personnel will continue to monitor the Sulphur Rx Fire Piles as a winter weather system is expected to come into the area tomorrow afternoon.

If in the coming weeks the Sulphur area receives more precipitation for additional snow cover creating optimal conditions for burning piled slash and woody debris from previous restoration work, fire managers may announce the possible continuation of ignitions on the remaining acres of the Sulphur Rx Fire Pile area. 

11/15/24: Fire crews for the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NG) completed 6 acres of pile burning today on the previously announced 34 acres of Sulphur prescribed fire (Rx) Piles on the Sandia Ranger District. 

Pending favorable conditions fire managers will assess conditions to continue pile burn ignitions on Saturday November 16 within the Sulphur Rx Piles plan area.

11/14/24: Fire management for the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NG) did not proceed on ignitions today on the previously announced Sulphur prescribed fire (Rx) Piles on the Sandia Ranger District after test fire resulted in unfavorable conditions for continued burn operations. 

Fire managers will continue to assess conditions in the coming days to ensure they fall within the range outlined in the prescribed fire plan before proceeding with operations on the Sulphur Rx fire piles. A final decision to proceed with a prescribed fire depends on agency administrator approval, resource availability, and favorable conditions including fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecast weather. If conditions are not met, the decision will be made to postpone until favorable conditions allow for successful operations.

11/12/24: Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing to implement prescribed (Rx) fire Thursday November 14th on 34 acres of piles within the previously announced Sulphur unit of the Sandia Rx Fire Plan. 

1/30/24: Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews are preparing to implement prescribed fire operations on approximately 10 acres of piles within the previously announced Sulphur unit of the Sandia Piles RX Plan on January 31. The pile burn area is located in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. See map attached. Smoke may be visible from Albuquerque, Tijeras and Edgewood.

1/24- 1/25/2024: Crews completed 15 acres of pile burning this week and will continue to look for opportunities through March for additional acres of piles within the unit.

1/31/23: Pile burn operations started at 10:56 am

2/1/23: Pile burn operations continue with ignitions starting at 11:00 am

2/2/23 Update: Yesterday, Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews completed ignition of 27 acres of prescribed pile burning of Sulphur unit under the Sandia Piles Rx plan. Onsite resources will continue securing and mopping up all hotspots within the burn perimeter until it is completely out.

2/9/23 Update: Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands fire crews will continue prescribed fire operations as early as Tues. Feb 14 on the Sulphur unit of the Sandia Ranger District.

2/13/23 Update: The Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands has POSTPONED the Sulphur Canyon prescribed fire pile burning due to forecast weather conditions that are outside of prescription criteria.