Bear Trap Disaster Recovery Project
On May 1, 2022, the Bear Trap fire was reported in Beartrap Canyon, approximately 0.5 miles off National Forest System Road (NFSR) 549, San Mateo Mountains, Magdalena Ranger District, approximately 22 miles southwest of Magdalena, New Mexico. The fire started in dry and windy weather conditions and grew to more than 38,000 acres. The fire was artificially ignited, but the exact cause was undetermined. The fire was declared out on September 30, 2022.
Several Forest Service investments and natural resources were damaged by the fire and continue to be damaged by post-fire effects including increased runoff, flooding, debris mobilization, sediment transport, and rolling and falling rocks.
STATUS: The project is currently in development and the District is accepting comments. To submit comments, please view the Public Notification and Comment Opportunity Letter. Please submit comments no later than December 23, 2025.
Photo Gallery
This gallery includes photos of the existing condition throughout the Beartrap Canyon area.
The purpose of the Bear Trap Disaster Recovery Project is to rehabilitate the landscape and to restore and improve the infrastructure damaged by fire and post-fire flooding associated with the 2022 Bear Trap Fire and move toward desired conditions as outlined in the 2022 Cibola National Forest Land Management Plan. The project will support the reestablishment of stable water conditions that accommodate natural fluvial processes while reestablishing access and maintaining the viability and safety of the existing National Forest System Road and Beartrap Canyon and restore infrastructure to sustainable levels.
To achieve this purpose in the project area, there is a need:
- To increase the resiliency of the watershed and forest
- To stabilize soils and watershed conditions with consideration of upstream headwater burn scar conditions and downstream effects
- Reduce/mitigate post-fire risks needed to protect critical infrastructure and key ecological values
- To restore ecosystems with an emphasis on cultural resources, springs, stream and floodplain functions, and erosion control
- To reestablish sustainable motorized and non-motorized public access throughout Beartrap Canyon, especially for ingress and egress into recreation areas and for fire management
- To maintain safe and sustainable recreation opportunities, with a focus on modernizing the trail system that was affected by the Bear Trap Fire
The Forest Service proposes a series of actions to reduce and mitigate post-fire risks needed to protect the public, critical infrastructure, and key ecological values; support the durability and resiliency of the forest; and promote multiple use and the balance of forest resources within the Beartrap Canyon area.
The overall analysis area is 55,261.83 acres to include the Bear Trap Fire burned area, extends to the affected sub-watershed boundaries, and excludes the Withington Designated Wilderness Area. Proposed activities will not occur over the entirety of the analysis area but will be focused along the NFSR 549 and Beartrap Canyon bottom.
Project activities include road restoration; watershed, water resource, and soil and restoration; campground decommission, relocation, and redesign; and trail reconstruction and relocation.
See 'Documents' below to view the full proposal, including maps, images, and design features.
On April 3, 2025, the Secretary of Agriculture issued Secretarial Memo 1078-006 (SM). This memo determined that an Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) emergency situation is occurring on 112,646,000 acres of NFS lands.
The Bear Trap Disaster Recovery Project is eligible to use this authority because:
- at least 50 percent of the project area supporting this authorized emergency action falls within the designated area (Map 1)
- the project will reduce/mitigate post fire risks needed to protect communities, critical infrastructure, and key ecological values
- the project will support the durability and resiliency of forests
- the project will restore water sources and infrastructure
- the proposal is authorized by the Forest Supervisor
The proposal was entered into the Emergency Action Determination (EAD) Portal and was approved by the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Forest Supervisor on December 1, 2025.
If it were to be determined the proposal is subject to a level of NEPA documentation that would require the 36 CFR 218 Project-level Predecisional Administrative Review Process, the Bear Trap Fire Disaster Recovery project would be exempt from the process due to its approval under the EAD.
Under the EAD, public notification and a comment opportunity are required. This requirement will be conducted early in the process to support the identification of issues, scope of analysis, and verify the level of NEPA documentation required for the proposed project activities.