A prescribed burn on the Smokey Bear Ranger District in the Lincoln National Forest will tentatively begin on September 14, 2023.

Work will take place on the Jack’s Peak East unit, a 250-acre area east of Ancho.

Due to moisture in the area, the Brazel Push prescribed burn has been cancelled for the foreseeable future. Brazel Push is an approximately 90-acre area located between Capitan and Ruidoso.

Early this week, a 22-acre area near the Smokey Bear Ranger District administrative office was successfully treated.

Prescribed burns are key in the removal and clearing of flammable fuels in a closely watched and setting. This will allow the Forest Service to continue to mitigate wildfire risk and create a healthier forest.

Residents and visitors in the vicinity of the burns can expect smoky conditions during and in the days following the event. Smoke will be visible in and around Ruidoso, Capitan, and Ancho communities.

Weather, moisture, and ground conditions will be closely monitored before, during, and following the burns, and operations will cease or be cancelled on short notice if it is determined that conditions are not optimal.

The Lincoln National Forest land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape.

For more updates and information, please visit the Lincoln National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln or follow us on Twitter: @LincolnUSForest.