2026 New Mexico wildfires

2026 New Mexico wildfires
A plane dropping fire retardant on the Hummingbird Fire on April 25
← 2025

The 2026 New Mexico wildfires are a series of wildfires burning in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

Background

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

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.
Leche San Miguel 3,366 February 9 February 19 [3]
352 Quay 2,674 February 9 February 19 [4]
Smith Harding 1,200 February 17 February 20 [5]
Helen Mora 1,132 March 3 March 23 Burning along and closed State Highway 120 in Wagon Mound. [6][7]
Old 66 Quay 3,668 March 27 March 31 [8]
HC 1 San Miguel 1,415 April 8 April 10 [9]
Hummingbird Catron 5,716 April 20 June 4 Prompted evacuations in the Gila Wilderness and Willow Creek subdivision. [10][11]
Sparks Quay 6,000 April 28 May 1 Burning 16 miles (26 km) northwest of House along State Road 156. [12]
Crow Creek Colfax 1,200 April 29 April 30 Closed U.S. Route 64. [13]
Mimms Quay 7,093 May 14 May 29 Lightning-caused. Burning northwest of Jordan. [14][15]
Line Quay, Oldham (TX), Hartley (TX) 30,144 May 14 May 29 Lightning-caused. Prompted evacuations in Nara Visa and impacted powerlines. [16][17]
Seven Cabins Lincoln 31,860 May 14 June 11 Sparked by fatal medical plane crash, prompted evacuations near Pine Lodge and areas northwest. was Burning in the Capitan Mountains Wilderness. [18][19][20][21]
Black Mesa Trail Union, Cimarron (OK), Baca (CO) 1,514 May 17 May 23 [22]
Trigg San Miguel 2,000 May 21
95%
 Burning 17 miles (27 km) south of Mosquero. [23]
Bear Catron 7,769 June 9 June 22 Lightning-caused. Burning in the Gila National Forest. [24][25][26]
Sacaton Catron 9,861 June 21 July 21 Lightning-caused. Destroyed one structure and prompted evacuations for Willow Creek. [27][28]
Beehive Rio Arriba 4,728 June 26 July 31 Burned in Carson National Forest 15 miles (24 km) west of Tres Piedras. [29][30]
Frijoles Santa Fe 15,226 August 5
52%
 Lightning-caused. Burning in the Pecos Wilderness Area and prompting evacuations. [31][32]
Rabbit Ear East Union 1,500 August 24
70%
 Burning in Clayton. [33]

See also

Notes

  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

  1. 1 2 "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. ↑ "Leche Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  4. ↑ "352 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Smith Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Helen Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Helen - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.usatoday.com. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Old 66 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  9. ↑ "HC 1 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Hummingbird Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  11. ↑ rscavo (May 3, 2026). "Gila National Forest Hummingbird Fire Update – 5/3/2026". NM Fire Info. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Sparks Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Crow Creek Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Mimms Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  15. ↑ Fischer, Fallon (May 15, 2026). "Mimms Fire burns in Quay County". KRQE. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Line Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  17. ↑ Saxton, Amari (May 15, 2026). "Evacuations lifted for 20,000 acre Line Fire in Quay County". KOAT-TV. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  18. ↑ GDucker (May 18, 2026). "Seven Cabins Fire Morning Update 5/18/26". NM Fire Info. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  19. ↑ Fjeld, Jonathan (May 18, 2026). "Fire linked to deadly plane crash eclipses 15,000 acres". KOB.com. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  20. ↑ "New Mexico wildfire sparked by fatal medical plane crash spreads quickly in rural area". AP News. May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Seven Cabins Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Black Mesa Trail Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Trigg Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  24. ↑ Fjeld, Jonathan (June 11, 2026). "Bear Fire grows to 2,000 acres in southwestern New Mexico". KOB.com. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  25. ↑ rscavo (June 13, 2026). "Bear Fire Incident | InciWeb". inciweb.wildfire.gov. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Sacaton Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  28. ↑ Burge, Dave (July 4, 2026). "Sacaton Fire continues to grow, historic cabin destroyed". Yahoo News. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Beehive Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  30. ↑ Fjeld, Jonathan (June 30, 2026). "Beehive Fire grows to 4,170 acres, uncontained, in northern New Mexico". KOB. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Frijoles Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Frijoles Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Rabbit Ear East Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
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