US Forest Service investigators have determined the cause of the 10,142-acre Luna Fire in 2020 to be an improperly built and/or extinguished campfire in a general forest area about one mile from the east end of the Rita de la Olla Trail. No suspects have been identified to date. Anyone with any information regarding the cause of the fire is encouraged to contact the Carson National Forest at 505-346-3881.
Investigators determined the fire started from a campfire built in a partial rock ring with sticks protruding from it. No temporary fire restrictions prohibiting campfires were in effect at the time, but actions taken violated two permanent Forest Service laws:
- 36 CFR § 261.5 (d) prohibits, “leaving a fire without completely extinguishing it,” and
- 36 CFR § 261.5 (f) prohibits, “building, attending, maintaining, or using a campfire without removing all flammable material from around the campfire adequate to prevent its escape.”
“When campfires are allowed, always drown it with water, stir with a shovel and feel for heat, repeating until it is dead out,” said Brent Davidson, deputy fire staff officer with the Carson National Forest.
The Luna Fire ignited on October 17, 2020, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, about two miles north of the community of Chacon in Mora County. The fire was fully contained on November 10, 2020, after impacting 10,142 acres, primarily in stands of spruce-fir and mixed conifer with aspen within the Luna Creek Watershed. An analysis of post-fire burn severity showed that the fire burned at a low severity within 40% of the perimeter, 39% at a moderate severity and 8 percent at high severity. The remaining 13% of the fire area was unburned.
The Carson National Forest and the New Mexico Forestry Division worked together to suppress the fire. An agency Burned Area Emergency Response team conducted repair operations including the removal of hazard trees, road repair and stabilization and other fire rehabilitation efforts last spring and summer. The area is open to the public, but visitors to the area should be aware they are entering a more recently burned area that may include hazards such as falling trees.
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