Fire Report 061218:
The Spurgeon Fire started yesterday afternoon and is located at Mile Post 38 on US Highway 180, North of Alma in the Glenwood Ranger District. The size of the fire at the time receiving this report (4:24 P.M.) is 25 acres. Engines are responding, grasses are burning, and there is 0% containment.
The Willow Fire that started on Sunday, is burning on National Forest lands in the northeast corner of Willow Mountain in the Glenwood Ranger District. As of the last report received, the fire is comprised of 400 acres and is located about 400 yards above Crest Trail #182 where it benches into a saddle with 0% containment. Therefore, Crest Trail #182 will be closed from Sandy Point to Trail #172 for public health and safety. The fire is burning fairly hot in heavy timber and spotting. Crews are assessing Willow Creek Subdivision, Indian Creek Cabins and the Bearwallow Lookout for structure protection needs. With fire fighter safety being first priority, fire management officials have determined that an indirect strategy with point protection tactics is the best strategy for this fire. Values at risk are the Indian Creek cabins, the Bearwallow Lookout, and the Willow Creek subdivision. The Gila National Forest has implemented a temporary closure order for public health and safety. The public is asked respect the closure order for their safety and the safety of firefighting crews working in the area. NM Hwy 159 is closed at mile post 12 into Willow Creek.
Regarding the Buzzard Fire, that started on May 22nd, located 10 miles NE of Reserve in the Gila National Forest, has covered 43,009 acres, is utilizing 410 personnel and has a containment of 69%. In the southwest portion of the fire, hand line construction between Piney Tank and Flattop Mesa, the preparation of Trail #768 as a control line, and dozer line construction along the North Fork of Negrito Creek are nearing completion. Firefighters continue to monitor the fire’s progression and conduct firing operations as needed on the dozer line along FR 4166E and lines along the North Fork of Negrito Creek. Wildland fire engines are working with crews in the eastern side of the fire to help crews patrol and locate pockets of remaining heat. Suppression repair and rehabilitation work of seeding control lines is progressing and is nearly complete. As the fire slowly backs through old burn scars toward containment lines, only moderate amounts of smoke are expected, causing minor impacts to the majority of populated areas. Ranches to the south and the down-drainage area near Reserve will continue to experience the late night and early morning impacts they have been receiving over the last 10 days.
Hot and dry conditions with light southwest winds continues through Tuesday. Relative humidity will again be in the single digits. Wednesday, moisture is expected to move in with a wind shift from the south to southeast which could trigger some showers and thundershowers. Some of these storms could bring dry lightning.
Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evening smoke can pool back down in canyons, drainages, and basins. For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com.
For information on the Gila National Forest, check out the website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GilaNForest/ or follow us on T
