Conditions ripe for fires to spread in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- There’s been more fires in the Bosque in 2021 than in all of 2020, and conditions are ripe for even more fires.

"You still can’t let your guard down because we are in one of the worst droughts on record right now, everything is parched,” said Wendy Mason, spokesperson for the New Mexico Forestry Division.

Even with no Red Flag Warnings, fires can still start very quickly.

"More than 90% of the fires that we’ve had on state and private land this year have been human caused, so it’s preventable," Mason said.

People are encouraged to call fire officials if they notice even a small fire.

"It’s very probable that a wildfire can and will happen. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when,” Mason said.