SFNF: Frijoles Fire Update For Monday, Aug. 31 -Drying Trend Continues Despite Scattered Thunderstorms Across The Region

SFNF NEWS RELEASE

Fire Information Phone: (505) 407-5343 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Media Information Phone: (505) 230-5386 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Acres: 15,367                        

Start Date: August 4, 2026

Location: Three miles east of Cundiyo, NM                            

Cause: Lightning

Personnel: 557                           

Fuels: Timber and Brush

Containment: 59%

Latest Update: As scattered thunderstorms move across the region, warm and dry conditions persist on the Frijoles Fire. Ground and air resources will remain available once again today to respond to new fire starts, if the need arises.

A Community Meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at the Truchas Community Center (58 County Road 75, Truchas, NM 87578). This meeting will also be livestreamed on Facebook (Frijoles Fire and Santa Fe National Forest) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/@Wildlandfireupdates).

Ongoing & Planned Operations: Firefighters continue to patrol containment lines and respond to pockets of unburned interior fuels that become active, producing increased fire activity and visible smoke. Crews and additional resources remain strategically positioned around the fire area, including the eastern and southeastern portions and communities to the north.

With the sustained warm and dry weather, isolated pockets of interior fuels are expected to remain active and produce smoke. This activity is within the fire perimeter and does not necessarily indicate the fire is spreading beyond containment lines.

Air Quality & Smoke: The portion of the valley west of the fire, Nambe and Espanola, can expect Moderate air quality late in the morning from smoke that drained into the valley overnight and Good air quality the rest of the day. Westerly winds will carry smoke over the mountains to Mora, causing periods of Moderate air quality in the afternoon; expect Good air quality the rest of the day. Taos, Valle Vista and Santa Fe can expect Good air quality all day. More information: https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook.

Weather: Today’s temperatures will once again reach the upper-80s with humidity in the mid-20s and a 30% chance of late-afternoon showers/thunderstorms.

Evacuations & Closures: As of Saturday, August 29, Cundiyo, Cerro Pinon, and Borrego Mesa have changed to ready status. There are currently no areas of Santa Fe or Rio Arriba counties in set or go status associated with the Frijoles Fire. Residents should remain prepared and continue monitoring official updates, as the fire remains active and conditions may change.

The following closures remain in effect: NM 503 remains restricted to residents and emergency personnel in the affected area. A temporary forest area closure remains in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest, including the Pecos Wilderness area in the Espanola Ranger District. Additionally, there is a Temporary Road Closure Order affecting FR 306, from the intersection of FR 440 and FR 306, west to the Forest Boundary and FR 306. Detailed closure information is available at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/nmsnf-frijoles-fire.

More Information: The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over Frijoles Fire area. Unauthorized drone use can impede firefighting operations and presents a risk to firefighter safety. If you fly, we can’t. More information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/.

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmsnf-frijoles-fire

Frijoles Fire Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrijolesFire

Email: 2026.frijoles@firenet.gov