Neighbors, the October 2026 edition of The Spark: Wildfire Preparedness is Year Round is available from the Fire Adapted New Mexico Learning Network (FACNM). This month’s bulletin, “As Temperatures Cool, Proper Ash Disposal Can Reduce Fire Risk,” tackles a common misconception: when a fire looks out, the ashes must be cold.
As we start using wood stoves and fireplaces again, it is a timely reminder for La Madera and our East Mountain neighbors. Hidden heat can remain in ash and partially burned wood long after the flames disappear. How we finish a fire matters just as much as how we start it.
Inside this month’s bulletin
- Gray ash can still be hot. Its appearance does not tell you whether hidden embers can ignite nearby materials.
- The container matters. Put ashes alone in a noncombustible metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Cardboard boxes, paper bags, and plastic containers are unsuitable for warm ashes.
- Choose a safe cooling location. Keep the closed container outdoors on a noncombustible surface, at least 10 feet from buildings, decks, firewood, and other materials that can burn.
- Cooling takes time. The bulletin advises allowing 24–96 hours, with larger quantities potentially taking several days to cool completely. Treat that as a cooling period, not proof that ashes are safe. They must be completely cold before disposal.
- Keep potentially hot ashes out of the trash. Hidden embers can ignite garbage and trash containers.
- Use care with garden reuse. The bulletin discusses limited uses for ash from untreated, unpainted wood. Ash raises soil pH, so it is not suitable for every garden. Ash from treated, painted, stained, or chemically processed wood does not belong in gardens or compost.
Outdoor fires need a complete finish, too
The bulletin also reminds hunters, campers, and anyone enjoying a permitted outdoor fire to use the drown, stir, feel, and repeat method before leaving. Add plenty of water, stir thoroughly to expose and wet hidden embers, and add more water. Check for remaining heat by hovering the back of your hand over the ashes without touching them. Repeat until everything is cold.
Follow Smokey Bear’s campfire-extinguishing guidance for the full process. Check the rules and restrictions for your location before lighting a fire. Cooler weather does not automatically make outdoor burning safe or permitted.
Read and share the October edition
Read the October 2026 bulletin (PDF)
- Download the print-friendly October bulletin (PDF)
- Download the accessible, readable version (Word document)
- Browse The Spark’s monthly bulletins and archive
Share the bulletin with neighbors and anyone in your household who cleans out the fireplace, wood stove, or fire pit.
About FACNM and The Spark
FACNM is a statewide, member-driven learning network that connects residents, firefighters, land managers, and community leaders. Its purpose is to help communities recognize their wildfire risk, take responsibility for it, and work together to protect people, homes, businesses, infrastructure, forests, and open spaces.
The network shares practical resources, experiences, and lessons learned. Its approach treats wildfire resilience as ongoing work that includes home preparation, neighborhood cooperation, planning, and healthy landscapes.
The Spark is a statewide, multi-partner campaign that provides a coordinated wildfire-preparedness message each month. FACNM hosts the bulletins and encourages communities to share and adapt them. Learn about the network or connect with FACNM and its mailing list.
More ways to prepare
- Start at home: Read our East Mountain wildfire-readiness guide for home preparation, access, and evacuation planning.
- Get local alerts: Enroll in Sandoval County Alerts and Notifications (SCAN) for emergency messages by text, phone, and email.
- Check before burning: Review Sandoval County’s open-burning information and permit application and New Mexico Fire Information for updates and restrictions.
- Build your household plan: FACNM’s resident and community resources include defensible-space guidance, home-hazard assessment tools, and evacuation-planning resources.
This month, check your ash container and where you keep it. Choose a safe outdoor cooling location before the next fire, and make sure everyone in your household knows the routine.
To report a fire or an immediate threat to life or property, call 911.
Source: FACNM’s October 2026 edition of The Spark. This article summarizes the bulletin and adds local preparation resources. Original bulletin and campaign materials belong to their respective creators.
La Madera Fire & Rescue | Sandoval County Fire & Rescue
District 4, Station 49