FIRE RESTRICTIONS NOTIFICATION
SILVER CITY, NM, Mar. 6, 2025 – Based on extremely high fire danger and persistent dry weather and fuels conditions, the Gila National Forest will begin to implement forest-wide Stage 1 fire restrictions at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, March 10, 2025, which will remain in effect through September 30, 2025, unless rescinded sooner or extended. The weather and fuels conditions we're currently experiencing are more typical of late spring conditions than late winter. That indicates a high potential for a busy fire season ahead, and the need to reduce or eliminate human-caused ignitions.
Under Stage 1 restrictions, igniting, building, maintaining, or using a fire, including charcoal and briquettes is allowed only within a fire structure that is provided by the Forest Service within designated areas, such as developed campgrounds or picnic areas that have names identified on site signage. Smoking is allowed only within an enclosed vehicle, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area that is at least 3 feet in diameter that is clear of all flammable material. Forest Order #03-06-00-25-001 can be found on the forest website at Gila National Forest - Alerts & Closures.
"Many factors are considered when implementing fire restrictions, such as past, current, and expected weather, the amount of moisture held within live and dead fuels, frequency of natural and human-caused fires, and availability of firefighting resources, to name a few," said Gila National Forest Supervisor Camille Howes. "We are coordinating this closure with our state, county, and federal partners. With your help, we can all work together to prevent human-caused wildfires."
As a result of the current very high to extreme fire danger, the forest is postponing plans for use of prescribed fire until a return to appropriate weather and fuels conditions.
Violations of the Forest Order are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, and/or imprisonment for not more than 6 months. Stay up to date on fire information in New Mexico at NM Fire Info | New Mexico Fire Information. For more information, contact Maribeth Pecotte at (575) 388-8201 or
