The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has terminated fire restrictions on land administered by its Albuquerque and Las Cruces Districts. As of July 12, 2013, fire restrictions on BLM lands are no longer in effect within Bernalillo, Catron, Cibola, McKinley, Sandoval, Socorro, Torrance, and Valencia Counties in the Albuquerque District and Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Otero, and Sierra Counties in the Las Cruces District.
Recent precipitation has reduced fire danger in the areas. The lifting of restrictions allows visitors to build charcoal or wood campfires. Smoking is also allowed outside of vehicles and visitors are asked to properly dispose of smoking materials. Backcountry visitors are asked to use caution when parking vehicles where hot exhaust pipes might ignite grass. However, visitors are reminded that fireworks are still prohibited on all BLM-administered public lands in New Mexico.
Fire restrictions are still in place on BLM lands in the Pecos and Farmington Districts until the areas receive sufficient moisture to significantly reduce fire danger and the risk of human caused wildfires. The BLM will continue to monitor fire danger across the state and may implement restrictions again if conditions worsen.
For information on fire restrictions on Federal lands, go to www.nmfireinfo.com. For more information regarding fire restrictions in the State of New Mexico, go to www.nmforestry.com.