U.S. Forest Service - Carson National Forest

Home
United States
Taos, NM
U.S. Forest Service - Carson National Forest

Endless recreation opportunities on 1.5 million acres of beautiful mountain scenery in Northern New Mexico.

The National Forest Foundation, chartered by Congress, engages Americans in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System, administers private gifts of funds and land for the benefit of the National Forests. http://www.nationalforests.org/

The Forest Service manages a system of 155 national forests, 20 national gr

asslands, and 222 research and experimental forests, as well as other special areas, covering more than 192 million acres of public land. The Forest Service has evolved into a 30,000 employee agency that manages the national forests for a number of multiple uses, including recreation, timber, wilderness, minerals, water, grazing, fish, and wildlife.

08/29/2026

MOGOTE RIDGE FIRE UPDATE

Firefighters remain on scene of the Mogote Ridge Fire between Canjilon and El Rito in Rio Arriba County. The fire has not grown, and with better mapping, its size has been lowered to 85 acres. Containment remains at 0%, but hand- and dozer-created control lines continue to be built.

Fire behavior remains consistent for the mixed conifer with aspen vegetation community, smoldering on the forest floor with occasional single tree or group torching.

For public safety in the immediate area, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) and two Forest Service roads have been closed. Details and a CDT reroute are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/alerts/mogote-ridge-fire-closures-cdt-and-nearby-roads.

This will be the final regular update for the Mogote Ridge Fire unless fire activity changes significantly.

Updated acreage and containment will continue to be available on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmcaf-mogote-ridge-fire.

08/28/2026

Firefighters continued suppression operations on the Mogote Ridge Fire today, building control lines with hand tools and dozers. An infrared flight this morning measured the fire at 83 acres, and the fire grew to 95 acres by the end of the day. Containment remains at 0%.

Fire behavior, as seen in the photo, has been typical of the mixed conifer with aspen vegetation community, where flames smolders on the forest floor while occasionally torching single or small groups of trees.

About 100 personnel are assigned to the incident, including two helicopters, two dozers and ground crews, including one hotshot crew.

The public is encouraged to avoid firefighting operations by staying away from the area, including the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail between Forest Service Roads 724 and 559 (also known as County Road 280 and State Road 110) and Lower Canjilon Lake, which helicopter pilots are using as a dip site.

Management of the fire will transition to a Type 3 team this evening.

Updates will continue to be posted to InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmcaf-mogote-ridge-fire.

08/27/2026

NEW FIRE START

Carson National Forest firefighters are on scene of the 40-acre Mogote Ridge Fire in Rio Arriba County, east of Canjilon and northwest of El Rito. The fire is 0% contained and cause has not been determined.

There are currently no evacuations.

A large airtanker made a retardant drop while firefighters began to work to on an indirect containment strategy ahead of flames due to a complex terrain of heavy down and dead fuels and falling snags in forested areas.

Fire activity this afternoon was moderate to high with patches of torching and canopy runs in stands of spruce-fir and mixed conifer with aspen. Activity moderated this evening as some rain fell in the area, humidity increased and cloud cover formed.

Six engines and two dozers are ordered for tomorrow with more ordering in progress.

An InciWeb page has been launched at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/nmcaf-mogote-ridge-fire.

08/26/2026

Lightning has been active across Northern New Mexico, with approximately 11,000 strikes reported over the last few days. Several small wildfires have been detected on the Carson National Forest. Firefighters and aviation resources are responding, and crews are monitoring conditions closely.

CRUCES BASIN FIRE
📍 Cruces Basin Wilderness, north side
🔥 Approximately 32 acres | 0% contained

The fire is mostly smoldering but may pick up and torch pockets of trees if winds increase. Nine smokejumpers responded yesterday, along with firefighters from the Rio Grande National Forest. Two helicopters—a Type 2 and a Type 3—are also supporting operations.

Lightning is suspected as the cause, but it has not yet been confirmed.

JARITA CANYON FIRE
📍 Southeast of Vallecitos in Rio Arriba County, near the intersection of Forest Service Roads 44 and 44J
🔥 Approximately 2 acres | 0% contained

Carson National Forest firefighters have arrived on scene and are assessing the fire. Lightning is suspected, but the cause remains unconfirmed.

OTHER FIRES CONTAINED

Firefighters have also contained four additional lightning-caused fires over the last several days:

• Estufa Fire — Jicarilla Ranger District
• Vaqueros Fire — Jicarilla Ranger District
• Manuel Tank Fire — Jicarilla Ranger District
• Huckaby Fire — Canjilon Ranger District, Mesa de los Viejos

With continued thunderstorms and dry conditions, additional lightning-caused fires are possible. Please use caution when recreating on the forest and be aware of changing fire conditions.

08/24/2026

Now Hiring: Wildland Fire Positions

The Carson National Forest is hiring! We’re looking for dedicated individuals to join our fire organization and help support wildfire preparedness, response, and disaster operations across federal and state agencies.

Open positions include:

Dispatchers
Fire engine operators
Fire prevention specialists
Forestry aids and technicians
Handcrew members
Hotshot crew members
Prescribed fire and fuels specialists
And more

Applications are open now through September 22, 2026.

View and apply for fire positions on USAJOBS (https://forestservicecareers.usajobs.gov/search/results/?a=AG11&s=relevance&sd=asc&p=1)

A list of available positions and contact information for hiring managers is available on the Southwestern Region’s Fire Hire webpage under “Job Openings for Permanent Hire Phase 1.”

Any U.S. citizen or national who is at least 18 years old can apply.

Interested in learning more about working for the Forest Service or in wildland fire? Visit the Carson National Forest website or the Forest Service website for more information.

08/22/2026

⚠️ TRAVEL ADVISORY – Roads Near Truchas

Crews working on the Frijoles Fire are conducting contingency suppression road work in the La Jara Canyon area. Heavy equipment will be active on FSR 667, FSR 639, 639T1–T3, and FSR 155 near the 714 intersection.

Expect traffic delays. Incident personnel are directing traffic for everyone’s safety. Please slow down, plan ahead, and consider alternate routes.

Thank you for your patience as firefighters continue critical work.

08/21/2026

Reminder: The annual temporary closure of the Wheeler Peak and Williams Lake area is now in effect from August 21 through August 28, 2026. The area will reopen August 29.

Each summer, the Carson National Forest temporarily closes this area for approximately one week to accommodate local community and traditional uses.

During the closure, the following trails are closed:

• Williams Lake Trail ( #62)
• Wheeler Summit Trail ( #67)
• Wheeler Peak Trail ( #90) between La Cal Basin and Wheeler Peak
• Lost Lake Trail ( #91) between Horseshoe Lake and Wheeler Peak

The Williams Lake Basin, including Kachina Peak and Lake Fork Peak, as well as the ridgeline from east of Taos Cone to Simpson Peak, is also closed.

Several nearby trails will remain open, including:

• Yerba Trail ( #61)
• Manzanita Trail ( #58)
• Italianos Trail ( #59)
• Gavilan Trail ( #60)
• Long Canyon Trail ( #63) via Wheeler Peak Trail ( #90)
• Gold Hill Trail ( #64) via Long Canyon Trail ( #63)

Please plan ahead and respect the temporary closure. Wheeler Peak and Williams Lake areas will reopen August 29. For more information, visit our website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/alerts/annual-summer-closure-wheeler-peak-williams-lake-and-surrounding-area

08/20/2026

The Bureau of Alcohol, To***co, Fi****ms and Explosives (ATF) is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the placement and/or use of suspected destructive devices in the Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico. The items recovered in these incidents are more commonly referred to as improvised explosive or incendiary devices.

Between April 2, and May 8, 2026, multiple suspected destructive devices were recovered near the Tres Piedras Ranger Station in Tres Piedras, New Mexico. On August 10, 2026, an additional device was turned in to the Canjilon Ranger Station in Canjilon, New Mexico by a concerned citizen who reported to have found it.

The U.S. Forest Service and local law enforcement initially responded to each incident and requested further assistance from the ATF Phoenix Field Division. As a result, ATF Certified Explosives Specialists and Certified Fire Investigators collected evidence from the scenes which are now undergoing forensic examination at the ATF Forensic Science Laboratory. ATF is now the leading investigating law enforcement agency and continues to work alongside our local and federal law enforcement partners.

ATF reminds the public never to handle suspicious objects. Improvised explosive and incendiary devices can be extremely unstable and cause severe injury or property damage. Anyone who finds a suspicious item should immediately leave the area and call local law enforcement.

Anyone with information about these incidents should contact ATF at (888) ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477). Information can also be sent to [email protected] or through ATF’s website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips. Tips can be submitted anonymously using the Reportit® app, available from both Google Play and the Apple App store, or by visiting www.reportit.com.

08/14/2026

Temporary Road Restriction in Valle Vidal

Motor vehicle use on Costilla Dam Road (Forest Road 1900) in the Valle Vidal will be temporarily restricted beginning August 14 to allow for culvert replacement and aquatic passage restoration. Work is expected to take about one month, but the restriction could remain in place longer depending on project progress.

🚶 Visitors may still walk the road, including around the culvert work area, during the restriction.

Contractors will replace the culvert at La Cueva Canyon, which is deteriorating and currently blocking fish passage. The project will help restore passage for native fish, including Rio Grande cutthroat trout, New Mexico’s state fish.

The La Cueva project is part of a long-term effort—more than 30 years in the making—to restore Rio Grande cutthroat trout and other native fish populations in the Valle Vidal. Six culverts are scheduled for replacement this year and next year; one has already been completed. The La Cueva culvert is the only one requiring a road restriction.

The project is being completed in partnership with Trout Unlimited, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Visitors should check the Carson National Forest website for updates on when the road restriction is lifted.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson

08/10/2026

Smoke from wildfires across the country has been impacting the Carson National Forest and local communities over the past week. The smoke today is mostly coming from the Frijoles Fire to the south.

Air quality monitors this morning show unhealthy air in Chimayo and unhealthy for sensitive groups in Taos and Angel Fire.

Smoke can affect everyone's health so taking care of yourself is important. Our Smoke Safety webpage has some tips for actions to take and about air filters, including do-it-yourself air cleaners:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/fire/management/smoke-safety.

Address

208 Cruz Alta Rd
Taos, NM
87571

Website

http://www.fs.usda.gov/carson

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when U.S. Forest Service - Carson National Forest posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Taos?