Sierra County Emergency Services

04/10/2026

⚠️ Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are now in effect at New Mexico State Parks!

Cooking or heating devices using kerosene, white gas, or propane as a fuel in a developed camping area are allowed.

For information related to camping at a New Mexico State Parks please visit www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd

04/08/2026

Unseasonably warm weather and dry conditions in New Mexico has moved the state forester to enact statewide fire restrictions.

04/06/2026

For immediate release: State forester enacts statewide fire restrictions
Smoking, fireworks, campfires, open burning, gas flares are prohibited
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Amid unseasonably hot weather and dry fuel conditions, the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Forestry Division is enacting statewide fire restrictions in New Mexico to reduce the risk of wildfire starts.

These restrictions respond to persistent dry and warm conditions across the state: conditions heightened by low humidity, high winds and abundant dry fuels across our forests and grasslands.

The level of wildfire danger poses a threat to public safety, life, property and natural resources across New Mexico.

The state forester has placed the following restrictions – to remain in effect until rescinded – on non-municipal, non-federal and non-Tribal lands statewide:

→ Smoking
→ Fireworks
→ Campfires
→ Prescribed, open, agricultural and/or debris burning
→ Flaring of gas related to oil and gas production

Exceptions:

→ Exceptions are allowed for certain prohibited actions in specific cases or when specific conditions are met.
→ The state forester may allow additional exceptions upon receiving a written request.

“We’re already in a particularly high-risk period for above average fire potential, which is not expected to let up anytime soon,” said State Forester Laura McCarthy. “Our current conditions are highly conducive to fires starting and spreading quickly. These restrictions are necessary to reduce that risk for the duration of this particularly hot, dry wildfire season.”

“Fire restrictions are about individual actions that protect our communities as a whole,” said EMNRD Acting Secretary Erin Taylor. “Nine out of 10 wildfires in the state are caused by humans, which means 9 out of 10 wildfires can be prevented. We’re asking that every resident and every visitor take extra precautions during a particularly risky wildfire season.”

For detailed descriptions of restrictions and for the full list of restrictions and exceptions, visit emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/find-current-fire-restrictions

Full release at emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/forestry-news

03/31/2026

Sierra Electric will be having a planned outage on TUESDAY MARCH 31ST in upper Las Palomas Canyon, specifically starting by Cochran Farms and including everything west from there. This outage will begin at 9 am and will end about 3 pm.

This outage is necessary for a voltage upgrade aimed at increasing the capacity of the power line. We will need to cut the power in order to safely and effectively make this upgrade. We are sorry for the inconvenience, but greatly appreciate your understanding while we work to maintain reliable service!

03/25/2026

RED FLAG WARNING for Thursday March 26, 2026

03/25/2026

Factors of Fire Behavior with Humidity

Humidity plays a crucial role in fire behavior by influencing the moisture content of fuels, which in turn affects ignition likelihood, spread rate, and flame intensity. Here are the key factors of fire behavior with humidity:

* Fuel Moisture Content (FMC): High humidity increases FMC, making fuels wetter and harder to ignite. Low humidity decreases FMC, making fuels drier and more easily ignited.

* Ignition Temperature: Higher humidity requires more energy to evaporate water within fuels, making ignition more difficult.

* Fire Spread: Once ignited, lower humidity allows fires to spread more rapidly due to increased heat transfer.

* Fire Behavior: Extreme fire behavior can occur when RH is low, leading to increased fire intensity and spread.

Monitoring RH and fuel moisture is essential for fire management and forecasting. Even small changes in RH can significantly affect fire danger, making it a critical factor in fire weather observations and risk assessments.

03/20/2026

RELEASE: State urges residents to protect homes amid elevated wildfire risk

With New Mexico entering what state officials are calling an exceptionally dry fire season, the state Forestry Division is urging homeowners to take steps to protect their properties and their insurance coverage before fire season peaks this summer.

An historically low winter snowpack is creating dangerous conditions across the state, with dry grass fuels building in the eastern plains and heavy tree fuels accumulating in forested areas.

New Mexico offers homeowners access to the Wildfire Prepared Homes program, run by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). This certification may help homeowners maintain coverage as insurers increasingly decline to cover homes in high-risk areas. Applications and a full checklist of required standards are available through www.wildfireprepared.org

Homeowners receiving insurance through the New Mexico F.A.I.R Plan may be eligible for grants to offset retrofit costs; visit the New Mexico Office of the Superintendent of Insurance’s website for additional information.

Steps you can take to "harden" your home:

- Clear out the first 5 feet from the walls of your home.
- Clear all dead vegetation, including plants, grass, weeds and pine needles. Maintain spacing between plants and trees.
- Move flammable items at least 5 feet away from your home, including wood piles, trash cans, deck chair cushions and anything stored under your deck. Maintain space between those items.
- Replace combustible mulch with gravel or non-combustible material.
- Prune back large shrubs and trim overhanging branches.

"Wildfire doesn't care if it burns in an urban or rural community," said State Forester Laura McCarthy. "Our firefighters will continue to respond to wildfires as they ignite, and we need landowners to play their part. Home hardening and defensible space are some of the most impactful—and easiest—steps people can take to stop the spread of catastrophic wildfire."

Full release at www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/forestry-news

📸: Josh Schlossberg/Boulder Weekly.

03/20/2026

03/20/2026

Forest Service News Release:

GILA NATIONAL FOREST ENTERS STAGE 1 FIRE RESTRICTIONS

Contact Title: Gila National Forest
[email protected]
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila

Gila National Forest enters Stage 1 Fire Restrictions
Atypical winter weather and higher temperatures contribute to current fire danger
(Silver City, NM, March 20, 2026) — Given heightened fire danger from an unusually warm and dry winter, the Gila National Forest will implement forest-wide Stage 1 Fire Restrictions starting at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026. These restrictions will continue through September 30, 2026 unless rescinded or extended. These restrictions are in place to help reduce the risk of human-caused fires on the forest.

Under Stage 1 restrictions, igniting, building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire is only allowed in fire structures provided by the Forest Service within designated areas, such as named, developed campgrounds or picnic areas. Smoking is allowed only within an enclosed vehicle, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area that is at least three feet in diameter and clear of all flammable material. Be sure to fully extinguish your cigarette and dispose of it properly.

Campfires are prohibited at all dispersed or informal camping sites on the forest per this order. A stove or grill fueled by propane or other liquefied petroleum fuels may be used in dispersed camping areas where at least three feet of flammable materials have been cleared above and around the device.

Any violation of these prohibitions is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor.

Many factors contributed to this decision to enact Stage 1 restrictions. Long-term severe drought in the region, increased tree mortality across the forest from drought and insects, and forecasted weather patterns which indicate higher temperatures and drier conditions for March through June are some of the underlying conditions prompting these restrictions.

While many fires on the Gila National Forest are caused by lightning, several large fires in the forest have been caused by humans, including the 2022 Black Fire which burned over 300,000 acres.

The full text of Forest Order #03-06-00-25-001 including a list of designated campgrounds and picnic areas where contained fires are allowed under these restrictions can be found on the forest website at Gila National Forest - Alerts & Closures.

For more information about this order, please contact the Gila National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Silver City at 575-388-8201 or email [email protected].

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

03/18/2026

Sierra County Burn Ordinance - Restricting Open and Controlled Burns in the Unincorporated Areas of the County.

Fire risk is increased due to severe drought conditions, above normal temperatures, below normal precipitation levels, and very low fuel moisture content.

Be cautious and stay safe!

03/13/2026

430am Fri Mar 13: Breezy conditions are expected this weekend as a storm system passes to the north. Sunday 3/15 will be a bit more windy compared to Saturday, especially for eastern areas and the Sacramento Mtns. 🌬

03/12/2026

NO BURN - Friday March 13 - Monday March 16, 2026
Fire weather season is upon us, and we will continue to see critical fire weather conditions around Southwestern New Mexico.

Be cautious and stay safe!