SFNF NEWS RELEASE
Start Date: August 4, 2026
Cause: Lightning
Size: 3,000 acres
Containment: 0%
Fuels: Ponderosa Timber, dead & down.
Strategy: Full suppression
Location: Steep terrain 5 miles west of Sierra Mosca, 3 miles southeast of Cundiyo, NM. The
fire is in the Espanola Ranger District within the boundaries of the Pecos Wilderness Area.
Total personnel: 101
Operations: Today on the western flank of the fire, construction of indirect containment lines with bulldozer support continued. Large air tankers and three helicopters continued dropping retardant and water to slow the fire’s spread. The fire exhibited active behavior today with the majority of growth on the north east side. Crews continued structure assessment and preparation in Cundiyo, Canyon Chimayo, Cerro Pinon and at Gorham Boy Scout Ranch. Structure assessment and preparation includes devising structure protection plans, establishing
water supply and sprinkler systems, and removing fuels around properties. The Incident Management Team is working in close coordination with Santa Fe County, surrounding communities, and Tribes. Additional resources have been ordered, including
additional engines, bulldozers, masticators, and a Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT).
Safety: Yesterday a drone incursion into the TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) posed a threat to the safety of aviation resources and impeded suppression efforts. The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the priority. 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!” To facilitate safe and efficient suppression efforts the public is asked to avoid the fire area and the Santa Cruz Overlook Road and Campground.
Aviation operations in support of suppression efforts are occurring at Nambe Lake and Santa Cruz Lake. Please be aware of your surroundings while recreating in the area and keep a safe distance from locations that aviation assets are operating in. Smoke: Smoke will be visible from Santa Fe, Cundiyo, Nambe, Chimayo, Pojoaque, and Espanola and settle in valleys in the evening. For air quality information visit AirNow Fire and Smoke Map.
Weather for the Region (August 9, 2026): The fire received rain and gusty outflow winds
this afternoon when a thunderstorm passed overhead. Hot temperatures are expected to persist with the likelihood of precipitation increasing as the week progresses. 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.
Evacuations and Closures: Santa Fe County issued a “Ready Status” update for the communities of Cundiyo and Cerro Piñon. Additionally, the county issued a road closure for NM 503 between County Road 98 and State Road 76. Visitors are encouraged to avoid the fire area and use caution when traveling near firefighting operations. Today the Santa Fe National Forest issued a Temporary Road Closure Order affecting Forest Road 306, from the intersection of Forest Road 440 and Forest Road 306, West to the Forest Boundary and Forest Road 306. While there is currently no closure order issued for the Pecos Wilderness, fire suppression efforts are taking place on the Española Ranger District side of the Pecos Wilderness, the public is urged to avoid this area.
Changes to evacuation status can be found on the Santa Fe County Fire Web page:
https://www.santafecountynm.gov/fire
Fire Information: (505) 407-5343/2026.frijoles@firenet.go /fs.usda.gov/r03/santafe
facebook.com/santafeNF/ x.com/SantafeNF/ nmfireinfo.com
Inciweb:https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmsnf-frijoles-fire
About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and
technology – and rooted in communities -the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the
nation’s forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.