Frijoles

Fire Start, Size and Growth

Start Date/Time/Location: The Frijoles Fire ignited around 6:57 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, following a lightning strike. It is located in steep terrain 5 miles west of Sierra Mosca and 3 miles southeast of Cundiyo, New Mexico, within the Espanola Ranger District of the Pecos Wilderness Area in the Santa Fe National Forest.
Size and Containment: As of the morning of August 9, 2026, the fire has burned 2,052 acres and remains 0% contained.
Fuels, Growth and Rate of Spread: The fire is primarily fueled by Ponderosa pine timber, dead and down vegetation, grass, and understory. It has exhibited active, flanking, and backing behavior. Over the last 72 hours, the fire has grown rapidly, more than doubling in size from 1,000 acres on Saturday night to 2,052 acres by Sunday morning. Fire growth has been highly concentrated to the northeast.
Containment Efforts: A full suppression strategy is underway, with command transitioned to a Type 3 Incident Management Team and a Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) ordered. There are currently 86 personnel assigned to the fire. Bulldozers are supporting the construction of indirect containment lines north of Frijoles Canyon, while Hotshot crews are building lines west of the fire and south of Rio Frijoles. Large air tankers and three helicopters are conducting water and retardant drops. The estimated cost to manage the incident has reached approximately $4 million.

Emergency Information

Evacuations and Sheltering:
Mandatory Evacuation Orders: There are currently no mandatory evacuation orders in effect.
Evacuation Warnings: Santa Fe County has issued a "Ready Status" (evacuation warning) for the communities of Cundiyo and Cerro Piñon. The exact number of residents impacted by these warnings has not been officially reported, but it encompasses the populations of these two rural communities.
Curfew: No curfews have been reported at this time.
Evacuation Shelters and Information: While no shelters are currently open due to the lack of mandatory evacuations, residents are advised to gather essential items and make a plan to leave if evacuation orders are issued. Residents can sign up to receive emergency notifications through the Alert Santa Fe system.

Road and Infrastructure Closures:

• State Road NM 503 is closed between County Road 98 and State Road 76, except for local and emergency traffic.
• The public is instructed to avoid the fire area, as well as the Santa Cruz Overlook Road and Campground, to allow firefighters and aviation resources room to work safely.
• No school or broader infrastructure closures have been reported at this time.

For more information, visit:

• New Mexico Fire Information
• Santa Fe County Fire Department
• InciWeb - National Incident Information System

Current Impact

Impacts:
Injuries and Fatalities: No injuries or fatalities have been reported in connection with the Frijoles Fire.
Structures Impacted: No structures have been reported damaged or destroyed. However, fire crews are actively conducting structure assessments and preparation in the communities of Cundiyo, Canyon Chimayo, Cerro Piñon, and at the Gorham Boy Scout Ranch.
School and Business Closures: There are no reported school or business closures at this time.
Notable Impacts: Aviation operations are actively occurring at Nambe Lake and Santa Cruz Lake. Officials have noted that unauthorized drone incursions into the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) area have posed a threat to the safety of aviation resources and temporarily impeded suppression efforts over the weekend.

Safety Concerns:
Power Outages: No power outages have been reported in the affected areas.
Water Safety: Brief heavy rainfall from thunderstorms in the area poses a risk of localized flooding. Residents should monitor local advisories.
Burn Bans: While specific new burn bans for this incident have not been detailed, standard fire restrictions for the Santa Fe National Forest remain a critical safety measure during the current fire season.
Air Quality: Smoke is visible from Santa Fe, Cundiyo, Nambe, Chimayo, Pojoaque, and Espanola, and is expected to settle in the valleys during the evening hours. This may pose health risks, particularly for individuals with respiratory conditions. Residents are advised to stay indoors, limit outdoor activities, and consult the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map for real-time air quality updates.

Ongoing Outlook

Containment Projections: The fire remains at 0% containment and is expected to exhibit active behavior in the coming days. Firefighters will continue scouting locations for fire line construction on the north and eastern sides of the fire. Crews are looking for opportunities to construct indirect control lines along the ridge west of the fire and improve control lines on the ridge above Frijoles Canyon as fire behavior allows.
Weather and Wind Warnings: Hot, dry conditions will persist through the weekend with high temperatures ranging from the upper 70s to mid-80s and minimum relative humidity between 20–35%. Terrain-driven winds of 5–15 mph are expected, but they will become erratic and gusty near thunderstorms. Outflow winds could potentially exceed 35–45 mph. Lightning, sudden wind shifts, and brief heavy rainfall remain the primary weather concerns for ongoing fire operations.

Cause and the Role of Weather and Climate

Cause: The Frijoles Fire was caused by a lightning strike on the evening of August 4, 2026.
Weather and Climate: The fire is burning during a monsoonal weather pattern across northern New Mexico, characterized by scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms. While the moisture can assist suppression, the accompanying lightning, erratic outflow winds, and sudden wind shifts are exacerbating the fire's spread and intensity. The blaze is further fueled by dry Ponderosa timber and dead and down vegetation that are highly susceptible to ignition during the warm, dry periods between storms.

For more information, visit:

• New Mexico Fire Information
• Santa Fe County Official Website
• InciWeb - National Incident Information System