Carson National Forest fire officials postponed prescribed burns near the communities of Ojo Sarco and Canjilon, New Mexico.

The project was expected to begin on March 7 but was delayed after reviewing site conditions, according to a press release from the Forest Service.

“This is a normal part of the prescribed fire planning process,” Camino Real District Ranger, Michael Lujan, said in the release. “If the conditions are outside of the prescription, we will postpone until later and look for other opportunities. If weather and site conditions continue to be out of prescription, we will postpone ignitions until next fall or winter.”

A significant amount of snow melted in the area over the weekend, the release stated. While snow is not required for ignition, fire managers must consider site conditions, as well as weather and precipitation forecasts for the following days, when planning for a prescribed burn.

Prescribed fires are used to reduce hazardous fuels and protect human communities from extreme fires, minimize the spread of pest insects, and diseases, recycle nutrients back into the soil, and more, according to the Forest Service website.