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Santa Fe, NM- This summer, New Mexico Counties have seen wildfires emerge in areas resulting from the high risk fire conditions including the Comanche, Rico and Pass fires. Santa Fe County is within the immediate Wildland Urban Interface area, an area most prone to fire danger. An immediate and present danger of range fires, brush fires, grass fires, forest fires and structure fires exists within the County due to persistent hot, dry, and unstable atmospheric conditions with temperatures much above typical peak fire season maximums, humidity of 15% or less, and Haines Index of 5+. Given these circumstances, the probability of ignition and spread of fire pose an immediate threat to the life, safety, health, welfare, and the public and private property located within Santa Fe County.

Therefore, effective Friday, July 14, 2023, Santa Fe County current open burning permits will be suspended, and new open burning permits will not be issued until further order of the Fire Marshal. Open burning is the burning of materials wherein products of combustion are emitted directly into the ambient air without passing through a stack or chimney from an enclosed chamber.

This open burning ban does not include road flares, smudge pots and similar devices associated with safety or occupational uses typically considered open flames. An outdoor fire, burning materials other than rubbish, where the solid fuel being burned is contained in an outdoor fireplace, portable outdoor fireplace, or outdoor fire pit and has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth, or similar purposes, with a spark arrester and screen, shall not require an open burning permit.

For further information regarding the open burn ban, please contact the Santa Fe County Fire Department at 505- 995-6517 or email fireprevention@santafecountynm.gov.