Outdoor plans carry fire restrictions

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - With fire danger high and a warm, windy weekend on tap, New Mexicans planning on camping or visiting local public lands need to know about a lot of restrictions now in place.

Fire restrictions mean you can't do things you would normally be able to do in the forest like start a campfire or drive an all-terrain vehicle.

The Santa Fe National Forest, where we have already had two fires, is under Stage One restrictions.

That means you can only have a campfire if it's in a pit or developed area. Sterno stoves used to cook food and lanterns are allowed.

State lands are under fire restrictions, too, but they're tighter. You can't have fire at all at any state park in the western half of the state.

As for metro Albuquerque, right now the Sandia and Manzano mountains in the Cibola National Forest are under Stage One restrictions.

Rain did help the Sandias this week, but Stage Two restrictions, which mean no campfires, will be coming soon.

"Probably by Forth of July; we are looking at that," said Bea Day of the Cibola National Forest. "We will be monitoring the fire conditions weekly if not daily, and if we have to move into Stage Two earlier than that, then we will get the message out to everyone."

Mount Taylor and parts of the Magdalena Ranger District are already under Stage Two restrictions, so no campfires in those areas.

The Gila National Forest , where the Whitewater Baldy Complex Fire is burning, is under Stage One restrictions with large parts of the Gila Wildness plus some sections of forest closed to public access

The Lincoln National Forest has yet to impose fire restrictions, according to its website.

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Online from KRQE.com:  Statewide fire restrictions database