The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is implementing fire restrictions on public lands in the Albuquerque and Las Cruces districts amid drought conditions.
The restrictions apply to lands in Bernalillo, Catron, Cibola, Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Grant, Luna, McKinley, Otero, Sandoval, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance and Valencia counties.
These restrictions come on the back of the U.S. Forest Service implementing restrictions in the Cibola National Forest’s Sandia, Mountainair and Magdalena ranger districts.
“Ongoing drought and low snowpack this past winter has impacted vegetation in the southwest and west central portions of the state. We expect fire danger to remain elevated in these areas until monsoon moisture arrives. With the public’s cooperation, we can prevent new fire starts,” BLM State Fire Management Officer Will Briggs said in a statement.
Fires, including campfires, charcoal, coal and wood stoves, are prohibited except for when used in developed campsites or picnic areas. Cigarette users are also limited in where they can smoke. If smoking outside of enclosed vehicles or buildings, cigarette users should ensure they are in a barren area with no flammable materials within a three-foot diameter.
Fireworks are also banned on public lands. A statewide order bans fireworks, pyrotechnics, exploding targets and incendiary devices year-round on BLM lands.
People who violate the fire restrictions could face fines of up to $100,000 and could be sentenced to up to a year in prison. Should the violation result in a fire, the person found responsible will need to pay restitution for any fire suppression costs as well as any damage caused.
There are some exemptions to the restrictions to allow government and military employees to perform tasks within “the scope of their duties.” However, those exemptions do not shield individuals or organizations from liability should a fire start.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the BLM lands where these new restrictions are in place are in areas where there are severe to exceptional drought conditions.
While portions of eastern New Mexico that are experiencing severe or extreme drought conditions shrank this week, the area in the southwest part of the state that is experiencing exceptional drought conditions expanded due to below-normal precipitation.
More information can be found by calling the BLM Albuquerque District Office at 575-761-8700 or the BLM Las Cruces District Office at 575-525-4300.