06/08/2026
This is typical of many wildland fires. Only 2% or 795 acres of the 31,000 acres burned at a high severity rate. Most of the fire burned at low or very low intensity. Most of the fire burned in the Peppin and Pine Lodge fires which burned over the past 25 years. Fire is good for the landscape when it performs in this manner. Good for wildlife, forbs, forage and hydrology. Thank you to the U.S. Forest Service Lincoln National Forest for a great job all the way around. Hats off to you. Continued prayers for the families who lost loved ones in the tragic plane crash.
BAER team completes Soil Burn Severity map for the Seven Cabins Fire
(Alamogordo, NM, June 8, 2026) - The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) specialists on the Seven Cabins Fire have completed their field surveys and produced a Soil Burn Severity (SBS) map of the incident. The SBS map visually represents field verified satellite imagery of SBS categories including, unburned/very low, low, moderate, and high severity. SBS reflects fire effects to soils on the surface and below ground, not fire effects to vegetation. The final assessment estimates approximately 7,858 acres (24%) of the fire is unburned/very low, about 16,695 acres (52%) is low SBS, roughly 5,299 acres (17%) is moderate SBS, and approximately 759 acres (2%) is high SBS. An additional 1,485 acres (5%) within the assessment boundary fall on non-Forest Service lands and were not analyzed for SBS.
Moderate to high soil burn severity after a wildfire can significantly change the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. These changes, such as the loss of protective ground cover, reduced organic matter, increased water repellency, and damage to soil structure, can limit the soil’s ability to absorb water. As a result, burned areas are more prone to increased runoff, erosion, and long term declines in soil productivity. Steep slopes are especially vulnerable, where the loss of ground cover greatly increases the likelihood of soil erosion and post fire flooding.
To assess these conditions, the Seven Cabins BAER team used remote sensing imagery combined with field validated soil data to produce the final SBS map. The SBS map now serves as a key analysis tool to estimate post fire erosion, sediment delivery, streamflow changes, and debris flow probabilities. This information allows the BAER team to identify areas at greatest risk and prioritize emergency stabilization efforts. All findings are being shared with cooperating agencies to support coordinated watershed protection and recovery planning. The Seven Cabins Fire SBS map can be downloaded from Inciweb at 2026 BAER Seven Cabins Information | InciWeb as a JPEG or PDF version under the Maps tab.
BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events. Everyone near and downstream from burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website. https://www.weather.gov/abq/
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
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