NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The Gila National Forest officials announced a prescribed burn will be happening on April 23. The Cedar Breaks Prescribed Fire will be happening in the Glenwood Ranger District as fuel and weather conditions allow.
The aim of the 1,000-acre fire will be to reduce the threat of wildfires in nearby communities by removing piles of fuels and scattered slash, the result of ongoing fuel-thinning projects. “Prescribed burning is key to treating landscapes to decrease the risk of destructive wildfire to the American people and to private and public lands. Fire-adapted forests in the Southwest require fire disturbance on a regular basis to maintain resiliency,” said Sandy Taylor, acting Glenwood District Ranger. “Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape.”
Officials say smoke may be visible along U.S. Highway 180 and might linger during the night and early morning hours but decrease significantly during the day. Smoke-sensitive individuals and those with respiratory or heart issues should take precautionary measures for their protection.
