A Valencia County woman is facing an arson charge tied to a recent bosque fire near Los Lunas. Fire investigators believe the same woman may be responsible for as many as 20 fires in the area dating back to March 2020. An arrest warrant filed by the New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office accuses 33-year-old Samantha Leyerly of setting a fire in the bosque on May 15, 2021. According to the investigation, Leyerly admitted to sparking the fire after a fight with her boyfriend.
Her arrest comes after crews have spent several weeks fighting multiple wildfires throughout Valencia County. Crews spent much of Saturday and Sunday battling a more than 300-acre fire near Belen called the Cemetery Fire. “We’re really focusing on trying to limit the starts, so this arrest is a big deal,” said Captain Rob Barr of the Valencia County Fire’s wildland division.