Smokey the Bear is Twittering.

That's right, social networking Twitter fans can now find out what Smokey is doing about fire prevention with every little tweet. He's already got about a dozen followers.

Lawrence Lujan, a public information officer with the Santa Fe National Forest, and a young man fully prepared to use every new media source for reaching the public, created Smokey's Twitter profile. He's creating one for the Santa Fe National Forest as well so Twitter fans can track the latest fire happenings in the Santa Fe National Forest.

"On the Santa Fe, we'll be using it to keep stakeholders informed of fire conditions, prescribed burns, or release environmental documents. It will be a little blurb that's going to link to the Forest Service page with more information," Lujan said. "It's peer to peer. We're going directly to the stakeholders."

Fire officials think there'll be plenty to Twitter about this season. Duane Archuleta, an assistant fire staff officer with the Santa Fe National Forest, said after two decades of fighting and managing wildfires, he recognizes the signs of a potentially big season, and this one is shaping up that way. Some of the signs fire managers monitor — like the amount of moisture in trees and soil — point to high fire dangers this spring.

While the mountains in Northern New Mexico still have good snowpack and about average fire danger, southeastern and central portions of the state are dry, already rating a high fire potential. The plains had a wet summer last year that encouraged the growth of grass and weeds, both high fire danger materials.

Windy days have prompted the Forest Service to post red flag warnings when conditions are particularly ripe for an easy wildfire ignition. Everything from a cigarette ash to a spark off a chain saw can start a wildfire.

So far there are no restrictions on the Santa Fe or Carson national forests.

Cibola National Forest posted fire restrictions March 9 for the Gallina and Manzano mountains. Campfires are prohibited except in developed campgrounds, and smokers will have to stay in their cars. Open campfires were prohibited at the Cibola's Kiowa National Grasslands beginning in early March as well.

The Lincoln National Forest is considering some fire restrictions beginning April 16.

Besides Twitter, fire officials are reaching out to the Spanish speakers in the state with television ads on Telemundo about fire prevention and a new Spanish-language version of Living with Fire, a publication advising property owners how to protect their homes from wildfire. The publication is available online at www.nmfireinfo.com/docs/ViviendoConIncendios.pdf.

If you don't Twitter, you can still check updates on fire restrictions online at www.nmfireinfo.com or www.publiclands.org/firenews/NM.php.

To sign up for alerts on Twitter, visit the Web site at www.twitter.com.

Contact Staci Matlock at 470-9843 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com.