SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST NEWS RELEASE
Start Date: August 4, 2026
Size: 6,214 acres Containment: 0%
Fuels: Ponderosa Timber, dead & down. Strategy: Full suppression
Location: Steep terrain 5 miles west of Sierra Mosca, 2 miles southeast of Cundiyo, NM. The fire is in the Espanola Ranger District within the boundaries of the Pecos Wilderness Area.
Total personnel: 182
Operations: Firefighters made progress constructing bulldozer line west of the fire, east of Cundiyo and the Gorham Boy Scout Ranch, multiple sprinkler systems have been installed and water supplies secured. Crews continued improving structure protection and preparation in Cañon Chimayo, Cerro Pinon and at Gorham Boy Scout Ranch, including devising structure protection plans, establishing water supply and sprinkler systems, and removing fuels around properties by hand and with heavy equipment. Along Forest Road 424 hot shots prepared the road to use as a containment line , tying into previous fuels reduction and prescribed fire projects where there is less fuel. On the north side of the fire along Forest Road 306 a masticator and firefighters improved the road to use as a containment line.
Fire behavior moderated today on much of the incident, however more active behavior was exhibited on the northern side of the fire. Tonight crews will continue suppression and structure protection efforts aided by a Santa Fe County structure protection task force and heavy equipment.
The Incident Management Team is working in close coordination with Santa Fe County and Rio Arriba County, surrounding communities, and Tribes. Additional resources have been ordered and will arrive throughout the day.
On Wednesday August 12 at 2:00 p.m. California Complex Incident Management Team 8 will in-brief and spend the day building their situational awareness by talking and strategizing with fire personnel who have been suppressing the fire since it was detected on August 4. They will take command of the Frijoles Fire on August 13 at 6:00 a.m.
Safety: There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. Today a drone incursion into the TFR 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 is drifting and settling along I-25, observable from Santa Fe all the way to Las Vegas. This smoke is impacting areas such as Eldorado, Glorieta, Pecos, and Mora, Los Alamos, along with other nearby communities. For air quality information visit AirNow Fire and Smoke Map.
Weather for the Region (August 11, 2026): Yesterday afternoon gusty outflow winds were observed as a dry thunderstorm passed over the fire. 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-90s, with minimum relative humidity between 15-19 percent and overnight recoveries of 45-50 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 and Rio Arriba County issued evacuation status updates. Santa Fe County issued a “Go Status” update – Immediate Evacuation of individuals on Camino de Canon in Cundiyo. The Evacuation Center is located at Pojoaque Valley Middle School Gym 1797 State Road 502. The remainder of Cundiyo and Cerro Pinno have been place on “Set Status”. Rio Arriba County issued a “Ready Status” update for the community of Cordova.
Changes to evacuation status can be found on the Rio Arriba County and Santa Fe County Fire Web page: https://www.santafecountynm.gov/fire & https://www.facebook.com/RIOARRIBACOUNTY
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.
The Santa Fe National Forest issued a Temporary Road Closure Order affecting FR (Forest Road) 306, from the intersection of FR 440 and Forest Road 306, West to the Forest Boundary and FR 306.
No closure order exists for the Pecos Wilderness, but with fire suppression happening in the Wilderness within the Española Ranger District, the public should avoid this area.
Fire Information: (505) 407-5343 / 2026.frijoles@firenet.gov/fs.
Inciweb:https://inciweb.
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.