Bernalillo County to host South Valley wildfire preparedness town hall

South Valley homeowners have a short window to clear defensible space, map evacuation routes and sign up for emergency alerts before wildfire conditions tighten again. Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue will host a wildfire preparedness town hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 6 p.m. at Los Padillas Community Center, 2117 Los Padillas Road SW, with a public Q&A after the briefing.

The meeting will focus on defensible space, evacuation planning for residents and animals, fire restrictions, prevention efforts and how to sign up for emergency alerts. County Commissioner Frank Baca is co-hosting the event, and county emergency-preparedness materials say residents should build a wildfire action plan, assemble emergency supply kits and prepare family communication and evacuation plans for people and pets.

The warning comes as Bernalillo County officials say wildfire season has become increasingly unpredictable, driven by record warmth, drought and low snowpack. New Mexico Forestry Division officials say the state is seeing an unusually active start to wildfire season in 2026, with forecasters calling for above-normal wildfire potential across most of New Mexico and a late-June peak.

State and local restrictions have already tightened. The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department enacted statewide fire restrictions on April 6, 2026, and Bernalillo County commissioners voted in June to ban all open burning in unincorporated areas outside Albuquerque city limits as wildfire danger rose. For South Valley households, the message is direct: harden the property now, know where to go and keep animals, documents and alert information ready before a fast-moving fire forces the decision.