UPDATE 7/28/26 Firefighters Battle Blazes in Colfax and Union County

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

Raton Fire along with other departments were called to what is being called the TO-East fire as Union County departments travelled to another fire on the Kennedy Road between Capulin and Des Moines.

Fire departments from Cimarron, Philmont, Miami and Springer are working a blaze on the Rayado Mesa that started early Monday afternoon on July 27, 2026. The fire was reported to firefighters at about 1:16 p.m. according to WatchDuty. That Fire is estimated at over 300 acres and is burning in grass and brush on the side of the Rayado Mesa about 3 miles southwest of Miami. The cause of this fire is undetermined but likely lightning started.

As storms moved east other fires were sparked in Colfax and Union County. Union County made it on scene quickly to the Kennedy Road Fire and with the help of a sprinkle were able to get their blaze under control and out before it grew very big.

Raton, Colfax Rapid Response, Farley and Union County hopped on the fire just off of Highway 193 and County Loop Road (A41). That fire is burning in grass, and fire fighters are battling shifting winds in the area. According to Raton Fire Chief Anthony Burk this fire was caused by lighting. The fire was reported to be out by about 8:00 p.m. with firefighters doing mop up operations at that time.

Just before 6:00 p.m. Monday evening Union County reported two additional fires south of Grenville. Both of these fires were extinguished with units returning to their respective home stations just after 8:00 p.m.

The cause of the fires is still under investigation but likely are lightning caused.

UPDATE 7/28/26  Colfax County Fire Marshal Nate Sandoval said the Rayado Mesa fire was still burning on Tuseday morning with approximately 350 acres burned.  Sandoval said assets fighting the blaze included two helicopters and an air tanker and a total of approximately 55 personnel were fighting the blaze atop Rayado Mesa.

Sandoval also said it was one of close to a dozen fires in the area in the past few days, most all believed to be lightning caused.

Raton Fire and Albuquerque Fire were on the Spring Canyon Fire located on the NRA Whittington property. Lightning struck a tree and has burned a small area around the tree as of Tuesday afternoon about 4:00 p.m. Albuquerque Fire was enroute to the Rayado Fire but was redirected to help Raton based on limited resources north of Cimarron.

Will update this story as details become available.