U.S. Forest Service - Carson National Forest

06/11/2026

Crews Continue to Work the Piedra Fire

Firefighters contained the 1.64-acre fire on Tuesday, but continue to work the fire until it is controlled and called out.

In the meantime, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions remain in effect. The weather forecast for this afternoon is hot and dry, with lowland areas of the forest reaching into the low 90s and relative humidity dropping to single digits.

Stay safe and spark free!

Fire restrictions: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/alerts/current-fire-restrictions-and-related-prohibitions

06/08/2026

Piedra Fire Update

Firefighters were out again today on the Piedra Fire, which has grown to 1.64 acres and is showing minimal heat and smoke. Crews have built control lines around the fire's entire perimeter and will continue work tomorrow.

The lightning-caused Piedra Fire was first reported Saturday. The Rio Fernando Fire District and the Taos Pueblo Snowballs assisted.

06/07/2026

Firefighters are currently on scene of a wildfire in Taos Canyon, using a direct extinguishment strategy to stop flames at the fire’s edge. Caused by lightning, the Piedra Fire was first reported yesterday evening and is currently creeping and smoldering at a 1/4-acre. With the heat of day approaching, a water-dropping helicopter was ordered and is also in use.

Thank you to the Rio Fernando Fire District and the Taos Pueblo Snowballs crew for their assistance on this incident!

6/6/2026 - Saturday evening RFFD and Carson National Forest firefighters responded to a small lightning strike fire south of Capulin Peak.

06/05/2026

Lightning season is upon us!

Carson National Forest firefighters have responded to two wildfires caused by lightning over the last week. They used a direct extinguishment strategy on both fires, cutting control lines at the flame front to stop their spread at about a half acre.

Over the weekend, the now-contained Rio Fire (pictured) was found on the banks of the Rio Grande below Cebolla Mesa. And today, the Antencio Fire was reported west of Bighorn Mountain near the Colorado border, where firefighters have built control lines around the perimeter.

With so much lightning as of late, it's a good reminder to know best practices during storms, which can approach fast. Check out our safety tips at https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/know-before-you-go/lightning.

05/22/2026

A new forest thinning unit near San Cristobal is now underway!

Carson National Forest and the State of New Mexico broke ground May 19 on a 374-acre thinning unit between Gallina Canyon and D.H. Lawrence Ranch. An Albuquerque-based contractor hired by the New Mexico Forestry Division is currently thinning the unit, which mostly consists of piñon-juniper tree stands.

The work is part of the Kiowa-San Cristobal Wildland Urban Interface Project, where thinning and prescribed fire has been ongoing for several years to reduce the threat of wildfire to neighboring communities. Other project work planned for this summer includes sagebrush mastication for grassland expansion to the south of San Cristobal and thinning to the south of Lama.

Firewood collection by permit is expected to be available in accessible areas after thinning is completed. Permit holders should check with local ranger stations for details.

Pile, jackpot and understory burning during appropriate conditions are planned to remove remaining slash.

05/19/2026

A great way to stay active, meet fellow trail enthusiasts and build/grow skills with our Enchanted Circle Trails Association pals.

Come celebrate National Trails Day with us!

🎉To celebrate National Trails Day, ECTA and the Carson National Forest will be hosting a trail maintenance day on the East Fork of the Red River trail on June 6th from 9:30 AM - 4 PM🎉

What is National Trails Day? NTD is a national event started by the American Hiking Society that takes place annually on the first Saturday in June.

Tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, paddlers, horseback riders, trails associations, federal and local agencies, land trusts, and businesses come together in partnership to advocate for, maintain, and clean up public lands and trails.

Head on over to our public calendar here https://enchantedcircletrails.org/calendar/ for more details

Please email [email protected] to sign up, we hope to see you there!

😎

05/18/2026

A reminder that we are in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, and with fire danger status between "High" and "Extreme" depending on where in the forest you are. Please practice caution when recreating out there!

We monitor conditions daily and you can always find up-to-date fire danger status on our homepage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson by clicking the "Alerts and Fire Danger Status" banner.

05/15/2026

🔥 Warming Fire Causes Small Wildfire, Suspect Caught 🔥

Fire crews responded Wednesday morning to a wildfire off Forest Road 437 near Taos, fully containing the tenth-acre low-intensity blaze by the afternoon. The fire was caused by a warming fire with no rock ring that traveled upslope.

Forest Service law enforcement identified the suspect and is continuing the investigation.

This is as good of a reminder as any that Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect. Dispersed camping with a fire is currently prohibited. The fire danger is currently at high and very high, depending on the location within the forest.

Review the fire restrictions at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/alerts/current-fire-restrictions-and-related-prohibitions.

05/13/2026

A great opportunity to build skills and network with one of our wonderful partners. Hope to see y'all there!

Happy Monday😎
The forecast for the week looks awesome, so don't forget to get outside and enjoy that 🌞

We have some great FREE trainings coming up, check out the details below and email [email protected] to secure your spot✅

05/11/2026

🔥 Fire Restrictions Reminder 🔥

Fire restrictions are currently in effect across the forest. As temperatures continue to rise and humidity levels drop, fire danger is increasing—making it more important than ever to follow restrictions and help prevent human-caused wildfires.

What is prohibited:
🔥 Campfires
🚬 Smoking

There are some limited exemptions, including campfires inside a Forest Service-provided fire structure within developed recreation sites.

Please do your part to protect our forests, communities, and firefighters.

A full list of exemptions and permanent prohibitions is available here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/carson/alerts/current-fire-restrictions-and-related-prohibitions