| SFNF NEWS RELEASE – AUG. 7, 2026 |
| Fire resources are actively responding to suppress multiple fires that may have resulted from recent thunderstorms throughout northern New Mexico. |
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the priority. Members of the public should avoid the fire areas. Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease. The public is reminded that “If you fly, we can’t!” Espanola Ranger District Frijoles Fire Reported Date / Time: August 4, 2026 / 6:57 p.m. Cause: Lightning Size: 200 acres Containment: 0% Location: Steep terrain 5 miles west of Sierra Mosca, 3 miles southeast of Cundiyo, NM. The fire is within the boundaries of the Pecos Wilderness Area. Personnel: 1 bulldozer, U.S. Forest Service Engine 461, Santa Fe Hotshots. Smoke Jumpers and multiple aerial resources. Strategy: Direct extinguishment. Fire Behavior: High spread potential. Fuels: Ponderosa Timber, dead & down. Operations: At 0700 control of the fire transitioned to a Type 3 Incident Management Team led by Josh Erickson. Fire fighters have established UTV access to the northeast of the fire. The Santa Fe Hotshots will begin building fireline on the northeast corner working east along the northern flank of the fire. Smoke jumpers will begin constructing helispots so that more equipment can can access the fire area. Large air tankers and helicopters will continue dropping retardant and water. The bulldozer will begin building indirect containment line west of the fire. Smoke: May be visible from Santa Fe, Cundiyo, Nambe, Chimayo, Pojoaque, and Espanola. Cuba Ranger District Lodin Fire Reported Date / Time: August 3, 2026 / 4:27 p.m. Reported by Cerro Pelado Lookout. Cause: Lightning Size: 6 acres. Containment: 20% Location: Heavily timbered Forest Service land, private lands, cabins, and inholdings are located within one-quarter mile of the Lodin Fire. 2 miles south of Jarosa and 4.5 miles west of Cerro Pelon. Personnel: 24 Personnel from U.S. Forest Service –Engine 621, UT 621, 1 water tender. Multiple aviation resources. Strategy: Direct extinguishment. Fire Behavior: Moderate. Fuels: Ponderosa Timber, dead and down. Operations: On August 6, the right flank of the Lodin Fire was plumbed with hose fed by a portable tank further securing the fire perimeter. Hot and dry conditions with occasional outflows still caused torching and short range spotting, but was held within containment features. Today crews will improve line along the left and right flank of the fire, working along the interior edge of containment line to locate and extinguish lingering heat. In order to increase operational efficiency and maintain initial attack readiness, crews are spike camping near the fire. Smoke: May be visible from Cuba, La Cueva, and NM 126. Spring Fire Reported Date / Time: August 3, 2026 / 5:23 p.m. Reported by Cerro Pelado Lookout Cause: Lightning Size: 1 acre Containment: 90% Location: Heavily timbered Forest Service land, private lands, cabins, and inholdings are located within one-half mile of the Spring Fire. 3 miles southeast of Jarosa and 3 miles west of Cerro Pelon. One mile east of Lodin Fire. Personnel: U.S. Forest Service Wildland Fire Fighters and aviation resources. Strategy: Direct extinguishment. Fire Behavior: Low. Fuels: Timber and grass. Operations: Minimal heat was found yesterday. Crews will continue to secure line around the fire. Smoke: May be visible from Cuba, La Cueva, and NM 126. Pecos Ranger District Glorieta Mesa Fire Reported Date / Time: August 4, 2026 / 5:19 p.m. Cause: Lightning Size: 0.1 acres. Containment: 100% Location: On the western side of Glorieta Mesa, 1.5 miles south of Glorieta and 1 mile east of I-25. Personnel: U.S. Forest Service –Engine 641. Strategy: Direct extinguishment. Fire Behavior: Contained. Fuels: Pinyon-Juniper stands, Ponderosa Timber. Operations: Yesterday crews were able to finish containing the fire by end of shift. This will be the last update for the Glorieta Mesa Fire. Smoke: May be visible from Glorieta, Grasshopper Canyon, Valencia, and Canoncito. Macho Canyon Fire Reported Date / Time: August 5, 2026 / 1:15p.m. Cause: Lightning Size: 2 acres. Containment: 0% Location: Two miles west of El Macho, south of Macho Creek. Personnel: U.S. Forest Service –Unit 5-31. Strategy: Direct extinguishment. Fire Behavior: Low spread potential. Fuels: Ponderosa, mixed conifer and oak brush. Operations: Resources have completely initial fireline and are strengthening handline while monitoring for hot spots. Smoke: May be visible from State Highway 63. Windy Bridge Fire Reported Date / Time: August 5, 2026 / 4:03 p.m. Cause: Lightning Size: 0.1 acres. Containment: 100% Location: North west of Windy Bridge off Highway 63. Personnel: U.S. Forest Service –Engine 641. Strategy: Direct extinguishment. Fire Behavior: Contained. Fuels: Ponderosa Timber. Operations: Yesterday crews were able to contain the fire by end of shift. This will be the last update for the Windy Bridge Fire. Smoke: May be visible from State Highway 63. Sierra Fire Reported Date / Time: August 5, 2026 / 2:15p.m. Cause: Lightning Size: 0.1 acres. Containment: 0% Location: Near Highway 63 north Sawyer Canyon Road. Personnel: U.S. Forest Service –Engine 641. Strategy: Direct extinguishment. Fire Behavior: Low spread potential. Fuels: Ponderosa Timber. Operations: Yesterday helicopters performed bucket drops. Today a Type 6 engine was dispatched to the location to establish control lines. Smoke: May be visible from State Highway 63. High Peak Fire Reported Date / Time: August 5, 2026 / 7:00 a.m. Cause: Lightning Size: 0.1 acres. Containment: 100% Location: Near Cow Creek east of State Highway 63 Personnel: U.S. Forest Service –Engine 641. Strategy: Direct extinguishment. Fire Behavior: Contained. Fuels: Ponderosa Timber. Operations: The fire was declared contained at noon August 5th, 2026. This will be the last update for the High Peak Fire. Smoke: May be visible from State Highway 63. Weather for the Region (August 7, 2026): A moist monsoonal pattern will persist across northern New Mexico with mostly sunny skies and scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms from Cuba through Santa Fe to Glorieta. High temperatures will range from the upper 70s to mid-80s, with minimum relative humidity between 20–35 percent and good overnight recoveries of 60–90 percent. Terrain-driven winds of 5–15 mph will become erratic and gusty near thunderstorms, with outflow winds potentially exceeding 35–45 mph. Lightning, brief heavy rainfall, localized flooding, and sudden wind shifts will be the primary weather concerns for fire operations. Closures: There are no area closures currently. Visitors are encouraged to avoid the vicinity of both fires and use caution when traveling near firefighting operations. Fire Information: www.facebook.com/santafeNF/ x.com/SantafeNF/ www.nmfireinfo.com |