In alignment with Albuquerque Fire Rescue’s commitment to providing the highest level of emergency service to the Albuquerque metro area, all members have been trained and equipped to meet national wildfire qualification standards. AFR is responsible for wildfire suppression across the city’s open space lands and wildland-urban interface areas, including over 30,000 acres in the Rio Grande Valley State Park, the Petroglyph National Monument, and the city’s Open Space areas on the West Mesa and Sandia Foothills.
Every AFR member is trained at the basic wildland firefighting level, with more than 120 members receiving advanced wildland firefighting training. The AFR Wildland Division operates from five strategically located Wildland Stations throughout Albuquerque to ensure prompt response to wildfires. Each day, 34 personnel with advanced training are on duty, ready to respond as part of the Wildland Task Force if needed. AFR’s fleet includes five Type-6 engines, one Type 3 engine, two Rapid Extraction Module (REM) UTVs, one water pump-equipped UTV, one 4×4 ambulance, and four wildland command pickup trucks. Additionally, the Heavy Technical Rescue division supports wildfire efforts along the Bosque with the use of an airboat. Seasonally, AFR conducts Open Space Patrols across the Foothills, Bosque, and West Mesa areas.
AFR’s Wildland Division collaborates year-round with various agencies and communities to reduce the wildfire risk through member training, public education, fuel load reduction, and area patrols. The division has automatic aid agreements in place to ensure a coordinated and timely response in large-scale emergencies. AFR also maintains mutual aid agreements with New Mexico Forestry and other fire departments across the state, enabling the request for additional resources when necessary.




I was driving across the river this afternoon and had a good look at the Bosque area. It has such a lot of brush that needs to be cleared out. I wonder if the prisoners at our jails could do that kind of work?