Advancing Fire Detection Technology in New Mexico

The public view of the camera, Tesuque Peak 1, on the AlertWest website.

Donate to Support Continued Operation of the Santa Fe Area Wildfire Camera
An image of personnel climbing a utility tower on top of Tesuque Peak.

Getting ready to install the fire camera on existing towers atop Tesuque Peak.

About the camera

In July 2025, the Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition installed a fire camera atop Tesuque Peak to assist with fire detection across large swaths of the Fireshed, including the critically important upper Santa Fe Municipal Watershed, the Pecos Wilderness, and the Rio en Medio and Tesuque drainages.

The camera’s main function is to help protect surrounding communities — as well as forests and watersheds — from catastrophic wildfires. The 24/7, 360° camera from AlertWest will support emergency response by improving rapid detection of wildfire starts as well as increasing situational awareness during wildfires. The camera — which can see about 25 miles during the day and 50 miles at night, as well as zoom in up to 40x magnification — continually scans the landscape for smoke. AlertWest uses artificial intelligence to flag potential fires on the camera feed, which then alerts human technicians to confirm risk and notify local response agencies.

The camera — which anyone can view on AlertWest — will also enable the public to more closely follow the progress of annual prescribed burns conducted by Fireshed Coalition partners to improve landscape resilience to wildfire. Key wildland fire management partners such as the Pueblo of Tesuque, Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico Forestry Division, Santa Fe Fire Department, and Santa Fe County Fire Department will have the ability to pan or zoom in the camera’s feed.

During a wildfire, the camera’s feed will also be accessible on Watch Duty, a useful free app and web browser that provides real-time information about fire spread, evacuation areas and firefighting efforts during incidents.

Support fire cameras and wildfire communications in New Mexico

Although fire cameras are widely used and have proved effective across the West, the fire camera on Tesuque Peak is the first of its kind in New Mexico — an exciting development.

An image of the western U.S. showing one AlertWest camera in New Mexico, two in Colorado, two in Nevada and dozens across California.

A screen capture of active cameras in the AlertWest network in early August 2025.

Jonathan Frenzen and Sandy Hurlocker of the Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition’s communications committee catalyzed the project to begin building a network of fire detection cameras in New Mexico. Initial funding and support for the Tesuque Peak camera came from the Santa Fe Community Foundation, the Santa Fe-Pojoaque Soil and Water Conservation District, the Forest Stewards Guild, and Jonathan Frenzen. THANK YOU!

The Fireshed Coalition continues to seek long-term sponsors of the technology. Please help us spread the word or donate to keep the Tesuque Peak fire camera in operation. In addition, download Watch Duty for your personal use and consider volunteering to become trained as a contributor to help monitor local wildfire incidents.

Click Here to Contribute Funds to Continued Operation of the Tesuque Peak Fire Camera
“This is a tool that can help us both manage the health of our forests and protect the safety of our communities.”
— Jonathan Frenzen
The GSFFC is a coalition of public and private organizations. The GSFFC is not a subdivision of the State of New Mexico, as defined in the state’s Open Meetings Act, §§ 10-15-1 to 10-15-4 NMSA 1978. Although federal agencies participate in the GSFFC, the Coalition is not a federal advisory board and was not created by a federal agency, as defined by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5.U.S.C. app. 2, §§ 1 to 16 (2012). The GSFFC operates informally to support its partners, and is not incorporated as a non-profit, 501(C)(3), partnership, or other legal status.