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Southern Rockies Fire Science Network

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JFSP Fire Science Exchange Network

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A big fire with low fire severity: Lessons from the Black Fire

“When the Black Fire ignited in southwestern New Mexico in 2022, it had all the ingredients for disaster: record-high winds, extremely low humidity, and over 131,000 hectares (323,708 acres) of forest fuels to feed on. But something unexpected happened. Instead of becoming another catastrophic megafire, it burned mostly at low to moderate severity. The secret? The landscape had already experienced dozens of previous fires, both planned and natural, that helped tame the beast.”

Read HERE

Posted by:
Angela Hollingsworth
Published on:
March 16, 2026

Categories: PublicationTags: Fuels reduction, lower burn severity, wildfire

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This regional Fire Exchange is one of 15 regional fire science exchanges sponsored by the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP).
View resources from multiple exchanges.