Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest are postponing the prescribed burn on Rowe Mesa originally planned for this week, primarily due to forecasted weather with showers and thunderstorms expected later today through Wednesday. Fire managers may reschedule the 293-acre East Rowe Mesa Phase II prescribed burn when conditions on the ground, including fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather, are more favorable. The Rowe Mesa unit is east of N.M. 34 along Rowe Mesa, 10 miles south of Pecos and south of I-25. Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-adapted ecosystems. The burns mimic natural fires by reducing forest fuels, recycling nutrients and increasing habitat diversity. Prescribed burns are managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.