The lightning-sparked Laguna Wildfire has swollen to 15,714 acres and is 40% contained, prompting evacuations in rural Rio Arriba County, Santa Fe National Forest officials said, citing the latest InciWeb update. Gallinas Ranch is under a Go order, and the nearby Monastery of Christ in the Desert is on Set status.
The Laguna Wildfire is burning about eight miles north of New Mexico State Road 96 and west of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness. Available reports do not document specific disruptions to campground or RV-park reservations, staffing, or supply routes along these corridors.
The Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office has placed Gallinas Ranch in ‘Go’ (evacuate now) status and the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in ‘Set’ (prepare for possible evacuation) status.
Ignited by lightning June 25, the fire is burning about eight miles north of State Road 96 and west of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness in oak brush, pinyon-juniper and mixed conifer fuels, according to forest reports.
Incident logs show the fire grew from one-half acre on June 26 to 25 acres the next day, reached 50 acres by June 29, and—fueled by strong downdraft winds—hit its current footprint on July 16, the daily summary states.
Managers say the strategy is twofold: protect people and water supplies while letting low-to-moderate-intensity flames restore natural fire cycles on roughly 13,000 previously thinned acres, according to incident objectives.
Firefighters are widening buffer zones with hand and aerial ignitions, backing them with helicopter water drops and ground crews that fell snags and secure logs. Afternoon thunderstorms continue to deliver gusty outflow winds that test those lines, the forest update notes. Command transferred to Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 on July 14 to match the fire’s complexity.
Rio Arriba County’s Ready-Set-Go orders have immediate implications for outdoor-hospitality businesses. Operators can harden plans by keeping two exit routes mapped, maintaining a grab-and-go kit with guest registers and radios, and arranging mutual-aid parking at nearby fairgrounds—steps that speed safe evacuations when a Go order arrives.
A temporary closure order now covers all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails in the affected sections of the Coyote Ranger District. While this could divert campers and delay deliveries, specific examples have not been reported.
Thunderstorms are forecast to repeat through the week, bringing more erratic winds and dry lightning that could hamper containment, according to weather details in the incident report.
Moderate smoke is affecting Cañones, Los Alamos and Santa Fe, and drivers on State Road 96 are urged to slow for reduced visibility, the smoke advisory says. Park owners can mitigate guest discomfort by posting live AQI readings, stocking N95 masks, setting up a HEPA-filtered refuge room and offering flexible cancellations tied to local air-quality thresholds.
Officials add that the managed fire could ultimately lower long-term risk for Highway 96 communities by reducing built-up fuels, a point underscored in the forest objectives.
As of July 12, fire crews are suppressing a spot fire outside containment lines near Laguna Peak and are patrolling the wildfire perimeter. No detailed two-day plan for work on the east or northeast flanks is cited in current updates.
Updates will continue on InciWeb and NM Fire Info.
For additional details, the Santa Fe National Forest fire information line is 505-607-0879, the Coyote Ranger District can be reached at 575-638-5526, and the supervisor’s office is at 505-438-5300.