ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — This year's wildfire season will be on the agenda as Gov. Susana Martinez and other officials gather in the dry wooded area along the Rio Grande.
They are meeting Monday at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park to kick off wildfire awareness week and to address fire danger across the drought-stricken state.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service had issued fire weather watches through the weekend for most of northern and central New Mexico due to strong winds and low humidity levels.
New Mexico's most populous county — Bernalillo County — has already approved a resolution banning and restricting smoking, campfires and open burning outside of Albuquerque's city limits.
Hazardous fire conditions have also been declared in Santa Fe County due to a lack of winter precipitation.