Santa Fe National Forest to implement fire restrictions this month
May 15—With almost all of New Mexico facing extreme drought conditions, Santa Fe National Forest will implement Stage 1 fire restrictions starting May 24.
That means campfires, charcoal grills, and coal and wood stoves will be allowed only on developed campsites or picnic areas that have Forest Service-built fire rings or grills.
Campfires are prohibited at all dispersed camping sites.
"If you are in a developed campground, you are allowed to have a campfire, but they should be using Forest Service-built fire rings," Julie Anne Overton, spokeswoman for the Forest Service, said Friday.
Given the state's dry climate and lack of precipitation, Overton said Forest Service officials are "taking the conditions right now and the upcoming fire season seriously."
Carson National Forest also announced Friday it will implement Stage 1 restrictions May 24. Lincoln and Gila national forests already implemented those restrictions in April.
The news comes as the U.S. Drought Monitor says nearly all of New Mexico is experiencing drought conditions ranging from severe to exceptional — the highest level of concern.
And, according to a recent National Center for Environmental Information report, most regions of the United States are experiencing warmer temperatures, and "the Southwest was considerably drier on an annual basis."
That agency uses data drawn from weather stations from around the country to paint a 30-year portrait of changing climate conditions, such as warming or cooling trends and precipitation totals.
For the most part, the new normal is warmer, both nationally and statewide — though in most of New Mexico, the fluctuation rate for the period of 1991 to 2020 is not too alarming, said Scott Overpeck with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.
Depending on the month, Albuquerque's temperatures rose by somewhere between 1.1 and 2.3 degrees over that period. Roswell's temperatures rose by nearly 3 degrees in the summer months — the highest increase in the state.
In Santa Fe, temperature drops or increases were minimal for the most part, with March seeing the biggest jump, of one degree.
"When you look at the temperatures, really everywhere is warmer," Overpeck said, referring to the national report. "And certainly over the Southwest, it's a good half a degree or so warmer [than previous decades]."
The report said the tracking data from 1991 to 2020 makes that time period "the warmest on record for the country." But the report also said the warming is not constant around the country.
Overpeck said he's more concerned about data in the report showing precipitation totals for the Santa Fe area dropping by nearly 2.8 inches over the years.
"That should jump out at you," he said. "That's a significant number."
For all of that, there is some hope of rainstorms hitting the area Monday and Tuesday. As of Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service said there was a 40 percent chance of rain showers those two days.
Overton said that will be of little help to the forest due to the state's overwhelming drought conditions.
"A little bit of moisture next week isn't going to put much of a damper on the drought," she said. "Everything dries out almost instantaneously."
The danger for uncontrolled fire is real and forced officials to make preparations.
"We welcome visitors to the Santa Fe National Forest," forest supervisor Debbie Cress said in a statement. "But we also know that abandoned or unattended campfires are the leading human cause of wildfire. Fire patrols on the Santa Fe National Forest have already found close to 30 abandoned campfires this season."
