Fire restrictions lifted after rains cover the forest.

The Lincoln National Forest will reopen on Friday, June 24, 2022, at 8 am after being closed for a month due to fire danger. All three national forest districts received substantial rain over the past two weeks, which significantly lowered fire danger. More rain is forecasted over the coming weeks for the forest, which covers areas in southeastern New Mexico around Carrizozo, Capitan, Ruidoso, Cloudcroft, and Carlsbad. Forest lands, roads, trails, recreation sites, and campgrounds will again be open to visitors.

Fire Restrictions Lifted

The Lincoln National Forest will also lift fire restrictions. Over the past month, the average rainfall in the forest was 4 inches, with some areas seeing up to 5 inches. “Average rainfall in the summer months ranges between 7.6 and 13.9 inches depending on the location, so the rain we’ve gotten is significant,” said Lincoln National Forest Fuels Specialist Josh DuBoise. “The ongoing rains have actually increased moisture levels to above-average for this time of year, which is why we decided to reopen the forest and lift fire restrictions,” said Lincoln National Forest Fuels Specialist Josh DuBoise.

The fire danger rating is now at “moderate”. Fire danger ratings are established by examining factors like vegetation moisture levels and weather patterns. The Lincoln National Forest has been closed since May 25, 2022.

Visiting the Forest

Forest visitors are required to follow the Leave No Trace principles. This includes never leaving a campfire unattended, taking all trash with you when you leave, and never camping near or driving through streams.