Forest & fire · October 6, 2026

Forest Service pile burning planned northwest of Deer Mesa

Status as of October 6: postponed. The Forest Service called off ignitions on October 5 because conditions weren’t safe. Burning may begin whenever conditions allow.

The Carson National Forest plans to burn slash piles on 74 acres north of the forest service boundary between the Turley Mill and Deer Mesa neighborhoods. The piles were left from forest thinning in 2023 as part of the Kiowa-San Cristobal Wildland Urban Interface Project, which aims to reduce the threat of wildfire to neighborhoods next to national forest land.

Recent rain and snow made pile burning the Forest Service’s preferred option for now. Ignitions were expected to begin as early as October 5 and last up to five days, but were postponed that day when forecast conditions didn’t hold. More pile burning in the Kiowa-San Cristobal area is planned for this fall and winter, and in future years.

What to expect

  • A test burn first: each day, crews burn a test pile to check fire behavior before deciding whether to go ahead.
  • Smoke by day, glow at night: smoldering piles may glow after dark, and crews may patrol the area for weeks or months until the fire is declared out.
  • Control lines: the burn unit is surrounded by control lines.

Forest Service notices

For GCNA’s concerns about pile burning near our neighborhood, see Carson Forest Thinning Projects and the Lobo FAWRA petition.

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