El Rito Creek Fire, New Mexico
The El Rito Creek Fire is an active wildfire burning in New Mexico, United States. It has burned approximately 140 acres (57 hectares) under a Uncontained classification.
Activity & map
Timeline, Map & Situation
Timeline
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Size reported at approximately 140 acres (56.7 ha)
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Status: Uncontained
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Fire discovery / ignition reported
Map
34.9296, -104.6704
Current Situation
The El Rito Creek Fire is an active wildfire burning in New Mexico, United States. It has burned approximately 140 acres (57 hectares) under a Uncontained classification.
Provincial or federal feeds last reported on this fire 46 minutes ago.
The fire is near Santa Rosa (1.5 km NW).
Smoke layers do not currently show a clear plume at the fire site. Nearby active fire activity includes 8 other incidents inside roughly 61 km.
Growth Trend
Growth history is still collecting. Points are saved when agency size or status changes.
Environment
Current Conditions
Current Conditions
Loading local weather…
Smoke
Layer analysis: Regional PM2.5 forecast haze is active on the live map; point density at this fire is not classified from plume polygons.
Open live smoke layer →Context
Nearby & Resources
Nearby Fires
View on MapRoad Closures
No full road closures reported within about 25 mi right now.
Nearby Communities
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Santa Rosa
Largest Fires in New Mexico
Community
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Insight
Why This Fire Matters
- One of the 10 largest active fires in New Mexico (currently ranked #6 among tracked incidents in this area).
- Located within 16 mi of nearby communities (closest: Santa Rosa at 0.9 mi).
- Fire has remained active for 142 days.
Technical Incident Details
| Fire Name | El Rito Creek |
|---|---|
| Agency Fire ID | 2026-NMN4S-000063 |
| Country | United States |
| Province / State | New Mexico |
| Location | Guadalupe |
| Latitude | 34.92956 |
| Longitude | -104.67037 |
| Last Updated | Jul 30, 2026, 12:49 AM PDT |
| Current Status | Uncontained |
| Tracking | Actively tracked |
| Acres Burned | 140 ac |
| Containment % | — |
| Cause | Undetermined |
| Nearby towns | Santa Rosa (0.9 mi NW) |
| Discovery Date | Mar 9, 2026, 3:04 PM PDT |
| Fire Type | OC |
| Data Source | nifc-wfigs |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the current size of this fire?
The El Rito Creek Fire is currently reported at approximately 140 acres (57 hectares).
Where is this fire located?
The El Rito Creek Fire is located in New Mexico, United States at approximately 34.9296, -104.6704. Nearby towns include Santa Rosa (1.5 km NW).
Is this fire contained?
Agencies classify this fire as Uncontained. A numeric containment percentage is not available in the current feed.
When was it discovered?
Discovery (or first listed date) is recorded as 2026-03-09.
Is smoke affecting nearby communities?
No smoke plume is currently mapped near this fire in the smoke analysis layer.
What towns are near this fire?
Nearby settlements include Santa Rosa (0.9 mi NW).
How many nearby fires are active?
There are 8 other active wildfires nearby.
What are current weather conditions?
Weather observations are unavailable for this location right now.
Is this fire still actively tracked?
This fire is actively tracked (last update 46 minutes ago).