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2025 New Mexico wildfires

2025 New Mexico wildfires
Season
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The 2025 New Mexico wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in New Mexico.

Background

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New Mexico Drought Monitor at its peak on April 22, 2025
Further information: List of New Mexico wildfires

While "fire season" can vary every year in New Mexico based on weather conditions, most wildfires occur in from early May through June, before the monsoon season. However, there is an increasing fire risk year-round from climate change. Droughts are becoming more common partly from rising temperatures in the state that evaporate water from streams. Unpredictable monsoon levels can increase fire risks. New Mexico is prone to strong winds, and jet stream disruption from climate change can make them stronger. Intense winds contribute to drought, allow wildfires to spread, and dry out vegetation. Unique plant life and fine fuels in the state fuel wildfires, especially in the Eastern New Mexico grasslands. Rising temperatures will reduce snowpack and shorten the snowmelt season which can increase drought and wildfire severity.[1]

Overgrazing and logging in the late 1800s and over 100 years of strict fire suppression affected natural systems of New Mexico led to a growing wildfire risk and intensity. Scientists predict New Mexico's forests will gradually deteriorate, turning into shrublands as wildfires burn the forests.[1]

List of wildfires

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The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date[a] Notes Ref.
Cottonwood Canyon Lincoln 2,011 February 8 February 14 Caused by human activity. The fire resulted in approximately $450,000 in damage. [3]
Mogote Hill Mora, San Miguel 21,433 March 14
April 7
 [4]
Trout Grant 47,294 June 12 July 25 Lightning-caused. Burned about 12 miles (19 km) north of Silver City and prompted evacuations for the Lake Roberts area and destroyed two houses. [5][6][7]
Buck Catron 57,753 June 11 July 21 Started from a lightning strike on BLM lands. Threatened structures on private ranches. [8][9][10]
Laguna Rio Arriba 17,415 June 25
85%
 Lightning-caused. Burning about 8 miles (13 km) north of Gallina. [11]
Turkeyfeather Catron 24,178 June 30
82%
 Undetermined cause. Burning 22 miles (35 km) southeast of Reserve. [12]
Goose Grant 3,690 July 9 August 4 Lightning-caused. Burning 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Silver City. [13]
Middle Mesa Rio Arriba 5,031 August 1
91%
 Lightning-caused. Burning 5 miles east of Navajo Lake. [14]
Vereda Blanca Sandoval 1,269 August 8
4%
 [15]
Map
Perimeters of 2025 New Mexico wildfires (map data)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "New Mexico Fire Season: In-Depth Guide". wfca.com. Western Fire Chiefs Association. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  2. ^ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  3. ^ "COTTONWOOD CANYON". Las Cruces Sun News. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  4. ^ Sun-News, Las Cruces. "Mogote Hill - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Las Cruces Sun-News. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  5. ^ "Trout Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  6. ^ Burge, Dave (June 15, 2025). "Trout Fire experiencing rapid growth, now 12K acres". KTSM-TV. NBC. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  7. ^ "Trout - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.usatoday.com. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  8. ^ "Buck Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  9. ^ Kahn, Hamilton (June 16, 2025). "Wildfires in southwest New Mexico keep growing". KOAT-TV. ABC. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  10. ^ "BUCK - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.timesonline.com. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  11. ^ "Laguna - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.courierpress.com. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  12. ^ "Turkeyfeather - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.news-press.com. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  13. ^ "Goose - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.usatoday.com. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  14. ^ Plant, Geoffrey (August 9, 2025). "Middle Mesa Fire at 5,010 acres, 15 percent containment". Taos News. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  15. ^ "Vereda Blanca Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 9, 2025.



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