BLM plans prescribed burn activities in Chaves and Lincoln counties

BLM fire crew member igniting prescribed fire

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will conduct prescribed fire operations beginning this week and lasting through May. The agency plans to burn approximately 1,400 acres throughout Chaves and eastern Lincoln counties.

The operations are weather dependent and will take several days to complete. Smoke from the burn may be visible from Roswell, Midway, Dexter, Hagerman, Corona, Arabela and nearby communities. Although smoke should not impact highways, signs will be posted along roadways to inform motorists who may be potentially affected by the smoke. The agency reminds motorists to use caution by reducing speed and watching for fire personnel and equipment.

These prescribed burns are to remove slash from previous thinning projects. These operations will decrease the risk of damage from wildfires and loss to adjacent property. Other goals are to improve watershed and habitat conditions, increase the health, vigor, and competitive ability of the native plant community, and reduce the threat of non-native and native invasive plant species.

The BLM encourages public land users to continue to be careful with fire. To report a wildfire on public land, please call Alamogordo Interagency Dispatch at 877-695-1663. For more information on this prescribed burn and the BLM fire and hazardous fuels reduction program, please contact Dominic Bell at 575-627-0327. You can also follow the implementation of this project on NMFireInfo.com, on Twitter @nmfireinfo, or facebook.com/nmfireinfo.