Two active wildfires in southwest New Mexico have burnt a combined total of more than 76,000 acres of land as of Tuesday morning.
The Trout fire, located north of Silver City, erupted on June 12, according to New Mexico Fire Information.
Meanwhile, the Buck Fire was first reported on June 11 and is burning southeast of Aragon, in Catron County.
Several buildings were destroyed in a wildfire at the Fort Stanton Historic Site in New Mexico in May. Several buildings were destroyed in a wildfire at the Fort Stanton Historic Site in New Mexico in May. Oliver Horn/Fort Stanton Historic Site/AP
What To Know
According to a map from Watch Duty — a non-profit, non-governmental organization run by volunteers — the Buck fire has burnt more than 58,000 acres of land, and is currently 15 percent contained.
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The Trout fire, located in Grant County, has scorched approximately 18,300 acres with zero percent containment, according to the map.
In a Monday update on the Buck fire, officials said that gusty, unpredictable winds had fueled heightened fire activity and expansion of the blaze. It added that hot and dry conditions are expected to persist for the next several days.
A Watch Duty wildfire map shows the location and sizes of the Trout and Buck fires in southwest New Mexico. A Watch Duty wildfire map shows the location and sizes of the Trout and Buck fires in southwest New Mexico. Watch Duty
In an update on the Trout Fire, New Mexico Fire Information said the blaze’s perimeter experienced “noticeable growth” over the weekend along its western, northern and eastern flanks.
It added that 625 personnel were working to mitigate the blaze’s impacts, and that an evacuation shelter was available at the Grant County Convention Center.
A red flag alert has also been issued for western New Mexico on Tuesday by the National Weather Service (NWS), with forecasters warning of “critical fire weather conditions” due to gusty winds, single digit humidity levels, and dry vegetation.
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What People Are Saying
The Bureau of Land Management New Mexico said on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday: “Firefighters continue efforts to strengthen control lines for future firing operations and to slow active fire spread to the north and northeast.”
Meteorologist Hannah Fresquez said on X on Monday: “We’re keeping a close eye on these fires as critical fire danger remains in the area. Smoke from both is drifting south, causing hazy skies across the borderland.”
The NWS issued a warning to people downstream of the Trout Fire, saying: “Everyone should avoid any outdoor exertion; people with respiratory disease such as asthma, should remain indoors. People with heart disease, symptoms such as a fast pulse or heartbeat, shortness of breath, or unusual weakness may indicate a health problem. If you have any of these, call your health care provider.”
What Happens Next
Road closures and evacuation orders remain in force for certain areas as firefighters continue to battle both blazes.
NM FAST (New Mexico Federal and State Technology) is now accepting applications for a free space-sector accelerator cohort designed to help New Mexico-based technology companies compete for federal funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The cohort targets founders and researchers pursuing grants from NASA, Space Force and related federal agencies, with programming set to launch July 21.
The cohort will admit six to 10 New Mexico companies and run for 10 to 12 weeks, meeting in weekly sessions of approximately one and a half to two hours. Programming covers the full arc of federal commercialization strategy, including space-sector SBIR/STTR opportunities and federal funding pathways, proposal development for technical narratives and commercialization components, federal procurement positioning and agency discovery, capital strategy and follow-on funding options, and transition planning from Phase I to Phase II awards. Participants also receive targeted one-on-one advisory support throughout the program. The cohort is offered at no cost to accepted companies.
The program is open to companies at both the pre-award and early-award stages. The majority of cohort seats are designed for Phase 0 companies preparing to submit Phase I SBIR/STTR applications to NASA or Space Force. A limited number of seats are available for Phase I awardees working toward Phase II readiness and Phase III transition planning.
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“New Mexico has a deep base of research and a growing pipeline of founders ready to translate that work into companies that can compete for federal R&D dollars,” said Carlos Murguia, director of the Technology and Innovation Gateway at Arrowhead Center. “This cohort focuses specifically on the space sector, pairing New Mexico companies with Larta’s expertise in SBIR and STTR commercialization to give founders a clear, structured path from early-stage research to federal award.”
Larta Institute, NM FAST’s commercialization partner for this program, will lead the full design and delivery of the accelerator curriculum. Larta has supported startups that have collectively raised more than $23.7 billion since 1993 and brings that track record to founders working in New Mexico’s growing aerospace and space technology sector.
The cohort aligns with the aerospace priority sector named in the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant and is relevant to companies working at the intersection of advanced computing, bioscience and advanced energy applications in space-related contexts.
NM FAST is administered by Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University and operates statewide, serving founders in Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Los Alamos and rural communities across New Mexico. Over more than a decade of programming, NM FAST has supported more than 470 New Mexico startups and helped companies secure nearly $28 million in federal SBIR awards. Targeted outreach is directed to rural, women, veteran and minority entrepreneurs.
The program is sponsored by the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Technology and Innovation Office through the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant, which supports continued statewide programming for SBIR/STTR-eligible companies in the four priority sectors.
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Applications are open now and will be accepted through July 14, 2026. Interested companies can apply at forms.gle/CqSwEL7LahqB5pGu9. Space is limited, and selected companies will be notified before the program launch.
SANTA FE, N.M. – Santa Fe County and Edgewood approved a new agreement and ordinance that secures ongoing fire and EMS services for Edgewood residents.
According to a joint announcement from the Town of Edgewood and Santa Fe County on June 19, the two governments negotiated and adopted a new Joint Powers Agreement and ordinance to keep the Santa Fe County Fire Department serving the town.
County and town representatives drafted the agreement together. The town adopted the ordinance unanimously at a special meeting on June 16, putting an end to weeks of uncertainty.
Santa Fe County District 3 Commissioner Camilla Bustamante said, “I believe we are all relieved to know that the people of Edgewood will continue to have the fire and EMS services necessary to protect their homes, their families, and their community. This community deserves nothing less.”
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The announcement said the ordinance takes effect five days after final publication. The statement also said no further action or approval is needed to guarantee continued fire suppression, fire prevention, and EMS services for Edgewood residents.
Both governments noted the agreement will continue indefinitely unless either side ends it with five years’ notice.
