Open Burn Restrictions

An Emergency Ordinance Declaring Hazardous Fire Conditions and Imposing Restrictions on Open Fires, Smoking and Other Ignition Sources has been approved by the Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners.

Ordinance 2011-6 prohibits:

• Open fires of any kind;
• Open burning of vegetation or rubbish;
• Littering on public roadways/areas with ignited smoking materials;
• Campfires;
• Smoking within a County park campground or any wild land area, except within an enclosed vehicle or in a building which is specifically authorized for such and is exempt from the NM No Smoking in Public Facilities Act;
• Use of off-road vehicles, motor bikes, or other motorized apparatus within county parks, campgrounds and wild land areas;
• The issuance of licenses or permits for open burning of any kind.

All open burn permits that have been issued for the next 60 days are now void. Residents will need to obtain a new permit once restrictions have been lifted.

Any individual,firm, partnership or other entity found violating this emergency ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a petty misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment for up to ninety (90) days or a fine not to exceed three hundred dollars ($300.00), or both. Each act shall constitute a separate violation.

Restrictions are effective immediately and will be reviewed in sixty days for consideration of an extension.