Trail news - Lincoln National Forest

	Fire Season Arrives in Southeast New Mexico
	Over the next few months, Southeast New Mexico will periodically experience “Red Flag” warnings. This means that conditions are so dry and windy that even the smallest of fires can quickly spread. Over the past several days, this area has experienced three wildfires for a total of approximately 29,600 acres. Chuck Schmidt, Fire Management Officer, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Roswell said, “We are bringing people in from other areas to help support our local firefighters.” Schmidt also noted that so far this year, all of the fires have been human-caused. Low humidity and strong winds are predicted to continue over the next several days. This weather pattern, combined with the lack of rain and snow in Southeast New Mexico this past fall and winter has made conditions favorable for large wildfires. Several inches of rainfall would be needed to change the current status of high fire danger. The Lincoln National Forest along with the Bureau of Land Management wants to caution the public to be careful when engaging in outdoor activities, such as parking on dry vegetation, driving ATV’s without spark arresters, operating welding equipment, and other similar activities can cause a wildfire. The Lincoln National Forest and BLM lands, including Fort Stanton, remain under Stage II Fire Restrictions. It is important to know what restrictions are in effect before you visit your public lands. Know before you go. To learn more about these fire restrictions and other fire information go to www.nmfireinfo.com, or for specific information about the Lincoln National Forest, please visit our website at www.fs.fed.us/r3/lincoln.