News Release
News Release Date: October 16, 2026
Contact:
IMRnews@nps.gov
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument will post a notice on its website and social media channels when specific dates for the prescribed burn are confirmed. The public notice will note any potential impacts to visitor access during the prescribed fire. No established trails are within the prescribed fire boundaries.
Smoky conditions may occur within the park and along New Mexico Highway 55. Smoke will be most visible on days when burning occurs, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger in low-lying areas. Flames may be visible as fire consumes heavier fuels in the slash piles. Smoke and occasional flames can persist for several days as piles smolder.
The prescribed fire is part of Gran Quivira Unit’s ongoing land management program and is planned to reduce fuels on approximately 100 acres of National Park Service land. The primary objective of this prescribed fire is to remove slash piles resulting from past fuels reduction work and to reduce the risk from future wildfire. Prescribed fire is a tool that is carefully planned and implemented by fire managers to safely apply low-intensity fire under specific weather and fuel conditions.
Ignitions will only occur when conditions are just right. Fire managers carefully assess weather, wind, fuel moisture, and air quality to ensure safe operations and effective smoke dispersal. Live vegetation near piles may be affected by heat as the piles burn. After the prescribed fire, pinyon, juniper, and other tree species may show brown or red needles on lower branches. This is a normal effect of fire on live vegetation called scorching. The red or brown needles will fall off and help raise canopy height, allowing native grasses and ground vegetation to receive more sunlight and stimulate growth. It also increases the distance between ground and ladder fuels to prevent crown fires.
Additional information on this prescribed fire will be available on the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument website, Facebook, Instagram and X pages and https://nmfireinfo.com. Learn more about what’s involved in planning and implementing a prescribed fire at www.nps.gov/subjects/fire/index.htm. For questions about the tentative prescribed fire, please call the visitor services office at 505-581-6922.
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Last updated: October 16, 2026