Current Fire Activity

Contact(s): Zach Behrens, 575-758-6303

The following is a list of all wildfires across the Carson National Forest in 2023. The majority were caused by lightning.

Every fire receives a strategic, risk-based response that is appropriate for the circumstances and the associated threats and opportunities. The Forest's primary response has been to extinguish most fire starts due to their timing, amid hot weather, drying fuels and low availability of fire personnel. As weather, fuel moistures and personnel availability change, other response actions may be considered.

Uncontained Fires

La Junta Fire

• Size: 5 acres
• Latest Information: Available on InciWeb.
• Threats: None
• Location: Off Hwy. 518 near Tres Ritos (Google Map)
• Cause: Under Investigation
• Reported: Nov. 3

Sublette Fire (Tres Piedras Ranger District)

• Size: 0.25 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained on Oct. 22
• Threats: None
• Location: Slope above Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (Google Map)
• Cause: Under Investigation
• Reported: Oct. 20

Bobcat Pass Fire (Northeast of Red River, NM)

• Size: 0.25 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained on Oct. 20
• Threats: None
• Location: Slopes above Bobcat Pass (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Oct. 20

Cabresto Fire (Jicarilla Ranger District)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained Oct. 2
• Threats: None
• Location: Off Forest Road 309B (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Oct. 1

Casita Fire (Taos Canyon)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained Sep. 26
• Threats: None
• Location: North of Hwy. 64, MM 265 (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Sep. 25

Osha Fire (West of Hwy. 518)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained on Sep. 20
• Threats: None
• Location: Near Forest Road 114 in Osha Canyon (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Sep. 19

El Valle Fire (El Valle, NM)

• Size: 521 acres
• Latest Information: 100% contained on Sep. 17
• Threats: None
• Location: Adjacent to El Valle, NM
• Cause: Under Investigation
• Reported: Sep. 8

Las Aguitas (South of Las Trampas, NM)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained by Ojo Sarco Volunteer Fire Dept. on Aug. 25
• Threats: None
• Location: Near Cañada de los Alamos (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Aug. 25

American Mesa Fire (Jicarilla Ranger District)

• Size: 386 acres
• Latest Information: 100% contained Aug. 24
• Threats: None
• Location: Near Forest Road 310E, 16 miles southeast of Dulce, NM (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Aug. 5

Madison Fire (Taos Canyon)

• Size: 0.5 acres (Acreage decrased from 2.5 after more accurate mapping)
• Latest Information: Fully Contained Aug. 21
• Threats: None
• Location Taos Canyon, near Mondragon Trail (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Aug. 20

Estufa Fire (Jicarilla Ranger District)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained on Aug. 16
• Threats: None
• Location: North of Forest Road 310 (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Aug. 16

Lama Fire (Lama, NM)

• Size: 1 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained Aug. 7
• Threats: None
• Location: Off Forest Road 439 (Google Map)
• Cause: Unknown
• Reported Aug. 7

Sierra Fire (North of El Rito, NM)

• Size: 0.75 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained Aug. 4
• Threats: Private land
• Location: El Rito Canyon (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Aug. 3

Cedar Rock Fire (Jicarilla Ranger District)

• Size: 5 acres
• Latest Information: 100% contained Aug. 4
• Threats: None
• Location: North of Forest Road 218 (Carracas Mesa Road), approx. 50 miles east of Farmington, NM, and 10 miles southeast of Arboles, CO (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Aug. 1

Loco Fire (near Tres Piedras, NM)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained Aug. 2
• Threats: None
• Location: Northwest of Tres Piedras, NM (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Aug. 2

Russell Tank Fire (Jicarilla Ranger District)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained Aug. 2
• Threats: None
• Location: South of U.S. Route 64 (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Aug. 2

American Tank Fire (Jicarilla Ranger District)

• Size: 0.5 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained Aug. 2
• Threats: None
• Location: North of U.S. Route 64 (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported Aug. 1

Manuel Canyon Fire (Jicarilla Ranger District)

• Size: 3 acres
• Latest Information: 100% contained
• Threats: None
• Location: North of U.S. Route 64 (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Jul. 31

Canjilon Lakes Fire (Near Canjilon, NM)

• Size: 0.5 acre
• Latest Information: Contained Aug. 2
• Threats: None
• Location: Near Lower Canjilon Lake (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Jul. 31

Medio Fire (Near Vallecitos, NM, in Rio Arriba Co.)

• Size: 1.5 acres
• Latest Information: 100% contained Jul. 31
• Threats: None
• Location: Middle Fork Canada del Agua (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Jul. 30

Ancones Fire (Near Lamadera, NM)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained Jul. 27
• Threats: None
• Location: North of Forest Road 121, Ortega Mountains (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Jul. 26

Bull Fire (Latir Peak Wilderness)

• Size: 0.10 acre
• Latest Information: 100% contained on Jul. 28
• Threats: None
• Location: Upslope from intersection of Lake Fork and Bull Creek trails (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Jul. 22

Comanche Fire

• Size: 1,974 acres
• Latest Information: 100% contained Jul. 24. This naturally caused event was managed so fire could play its role in the ecosystem.
• Threats: None
• Location: Northwest of El Rito, NM (Google Map)
• Cause: Lightning
• Reported: Jun. 8