Andrew Nordquist – Incident Commander
Acres: 11,334
Start Date: 6/25/2025
Completion: 87 %
Location: Located in the Coyote Ranger District, 8 miles north of New Mexico State Road 96 and west of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness.
Personnel: 174
Fuels: Oak brush, ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper
Resources: 3 hotshot crews, 1 Type 2 Initial Attack crew, 2 suppression modules, 7 engines, 3 water tenders (2 support; 1 tactical)
Highlights: Fire crews continued coordinated strategic firing operations by utilizing both hand and aerial ignition. Fire crews added additional prep work on control lines. To conduct a firing operation, firefighters cut away vegetation to make a line of bare soil ahead of a fire and then using aerial and hand ignitions burn the vegetation between that line and the actively burning fire front.
Weather: West-northwest winds this evening tapers off after sunset with light winds overnight. Smoke will likely drain south into the upper Rio Grande Valley reaching as far south as Santa Fe. Expect another very warm to hot day tomorrow with dry westerly breezes developing during the afternoon hours. This will help transport the smoke plume east over the upper Rio Grande Valley and northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. These southeast winds will increase surface moisture at the wildfire location resulting in scattered shower and storm development during the afternoon and evening hours both days this weekend.
Smoke: Today, strong winds resulted in significant smoke at ground level in the afternoon, causing brief smoke impacts in Taos and Mora, on the east side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Although these impacts were short duration, they occurred at elevated air quality levels. Abiquiu experienced blowing smoke for a few hours, but conditions are starting to clear now, shifting southward where Cañones is more heavily affected. This evening, as the winds subside, surface smoke impacts are expected to extend down the Rio Chama toward the Rio Grande Valley, with the highest air quality levels closer to the wildfire. Smoke is anticipated to lift and clear between 8 and 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. A similar pattern is forecast for Friday, although lighter winds and slightly higher chances for thunderstorms are expected. Thunderstorms are likely on Saturday and throughout the weekend, which should help clear any lingering smoke. Tomorrow will be similar, with hot temperatures and winds from the west and northwest. Impacts will again be felt in communities along the Rio Chama toward the Rio Grande Valley, where air quality could reach “UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS” in the afternoon and early evening. There will also be increased chances of thunderstorms and gusty winds, which could lead to unexpected surface smoke, especially in the afternoons. While conditions may change rapidly, any smoke impacts are expected to be brief. This weekend, the likelihood of thunderstorms will increase, helping to clear smoke from most areas, except those near the wildfire, which will experience impacts overnight and in the morning.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Please avoid the area while crews manage the Laguna Wildfire. Drones and firefighting aircraft are a dangerous mix and could lead to accidents or slow down wildfire operations. If you fly, we can’t.
Closures: : Closure Order 03-10-01-25-08 is in place and includes all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within Township 24N Range 1E Sections 1,2,11,12,13,14,23,24,25,26 and Township 24N Range 2E Sections 4-9 and Sections14-32 and Township 25N Range 1E Sections 25,35,36 and Township 25N Range 2E Sections 30-32 of the New Mexico Principal Meridian within the Coyote Ranger District. The purpose of this Order is to protect the public’s health and safety during firefighting operations for the Laguna Wildfire. See attached map for the closure area.
More Information: 505-607-0879 | [email protected]| x.com/SantafeNF | facebook.com/santafeNF | Inciweb-Laguna Wildfire | NM Fire Info
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