Near Little Walnut and Pinos Altos areas this fall and winter

SILVER CITY, NM, Oct. 15, 2024 – The Gila National Forest, Silver City Ranger District is assessing conditions in preparation for burning slash piles in the Little Walnut and Pinos Altos areas this fall and winter. Slash piles are the result of past hazardous fuels reduction adjacent to communities and infrastructure at risk. Burning the slash completes the treatment by removing the activity fuels from the forest. These projects will be implemented over the fall and winter, when firefighting resources are available and weather and fuels conditions promote the desired fire behavior.

"The Silver City Ranger District is working hard to reduce wildfire risk to private property by breaking up the vertical and horizontal continuity of adjacent fuels. Slash generated from these efforts needs to be burned to complete the treatment and remove the fuels from the forest," said Silver City District Ranger Elizabeth Toney. "Prescribed fire is one of the most effective and efficient tools available for reducing fire impacts to local communities."

The Silver City Ranger District has piles located near the Gomez Peak trailhead and the Wagon Wheel and Feeley subdivisions. More piles are planned to be constructed near Wagon Wheel, Feeley, and Little Cherry Creek Road as the district continues thinning hazardous fuels. Contract crews began hand-thinning adjacent to Feeley subdivision earlier this week. Approximately 150 acres of piles exist on the district as a result of hazardous fuels reduction work.

Smoke production from the prescribed fires is expected to be minimal and localized and may persist for several days following completion of ignitions. It may be visible from Little Walnut Road, New Mexico Highway 15 in the vicinity of Pinos Altos, and the community of Silver City. Smoke will be monitored to ensure that the New Mexico Environment Department - Air Quality Bureau's regulations are met. Smoke-sensitive individuals and those with respiratory or heart-disease should take precautionary measures. Air quality information and health protection measures are available online at: NM Fire Info | Smoke Management. For more information contact Maribeth Pecotte at 575-388-8211 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..