News Release

1-26-2021 - Prescribed Burn Planned

Date: January 26, 2021
Contact: Becky Latanich, 505-757-7210

Pecos, NM– Pecos National Historical Park is planning to implement a prescribed burn project that may begin as soon as Wednesday, January 27^th. The pile burn project, encompassing approximately 10 acres, is located along Highway 63 between the park entrance road and the Village of Pecos within areas that have been previously thinned and where materials have been piled. The burn operation is expected to be completed in one day and is not expected to necessitate road closures. Implementation is dependent upon on weather and fuel conditions. 

The purpose of this burn will be to reduce hazardous fuels and the chance for future high-intensity fire. Smoke from the burn may be visible from Pecos, Rowe, I-25, and surrounding public lands. Smoke can linger a few days after the burn. A final decision on whether to proceed with the prescribed burn will depend on multiple conditions, including the national wildland fire preparedness level and resource availability, fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecasted weather. The NPS will also take a risk-informed approach to managing prescribed fire during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Prescribed fire is part of a science-based framework for managing pinyon-juniper forests in the park to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire and allow low-intensity fire to play its natural role in a frequent-fire ecosystem. Every prescribed burn is designed to meet specific objectives and will be managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority. 

The NPS manages prescribed fires in compliance with New Mexico state regulations on air quality and smoke management. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website. Information on the Forest Stewards Guild’s HEPA Filter Loan Program is available here. 

All fire updates will be posted on the park’s website, Facebook page and New Mexico Fire Information website.  

For more information about the park in general, contact Pecos NHP at [phone] or visit our website at www.nps.gov/peco. You will also find our listings on the New Mexico True website (newmexico.org) and Tourism Santa Fe (santafe.org). Please like on us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PecosNHPnps or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/pecos_nps). 

From I-25 N: Take the Pecos/Glorieta Exit, #299. Left onto overpass, right onto Route 50; proceed on Route 50 for eight miles. At the village of Pecos, take a right at the four-way stop onto Route 63. In two miles, the park will be on your right. From I-25 S: Take the Rowe Exit, #307. Follow signs. From Highway 63, the park will be on your left.