Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team
Ricky Cox—Incident Commander
Buzzard Fire
Another Hot and Dry Day Before Moisture Moves In
June 13, 2018 Daily Update
Acres: 44,402 Start Date: May 22, 2018
Cause: Human-caused Location: 10 miles NE of Reserve, NM (Gila NF)
Containment: 74% Fuels: Timber (litter, grass and understory)
Total Personnel: 383
General Information: The expected moisture moving into the burn area will lessen fire activity giving firefighters an opportunity to strengthen and secure control lines. As line construction in the southwest portion of the fire is completed, all control lines surrounding the fire will be tied in. Crews will monitor the fire’s progression and evaluate the need for firing operations to secure control lines. Work continues with the excavator to finish suppression repair and rehabilitation on the eastern side of the fire.
Fire Operations: On Tuesday, crews utilized helicopters to begin an aerial firing operation to keep up with the fire’s progression and secure control lines along FR 4166E and Trail #768. The control line between Flattop Mesa and Piney Tank is expected to be completed today and crews will prepare it for possible firing operations. Firefighters continue to assess fire growth along the dozer line adjacent to the North Fork of Negrito Creek and in the Salthouse Canyon area. Firing operations to stay even with the fire’s edge will continue.
Fire Safety Awareness: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions will remain in place and will only be lifted when a sufficient amount of rain reduces fire danger. Stage 2 Fire Restrictions prohibit building or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove. Also using or operating a combustible engine, including a chainsaw, is restricted between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Fire Weather: Moisture will start to move in over the burn area on Wednesday with a few isolated thunderstorms possible in the afternoon. There is a possibility of dry lightning due to the low relative humidity. Winds are expected to be generally light but could be gusty and erratic near the thunderstorms. A better chance of rain is expected Thursday and into the weekend.
Closures: The area around the fire will remain closed for public safety until lifted by the Gila National Forest. Roadblocks have been set up by local law enforcement. In support of this closure, the Continental Divide Trail has been rerouted around the fire closures. The trail reroute map is available at https://bit.ly/2GRESFw . More closure information is available at https://bit.ly/2LvwKhN . For information on Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/gila/alerts-notices/?aid=46143 .
Smoke Situation: 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. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. For more information on air quality and health impacts due to wildfire smoke, please visit the New Mexico Department of Health website at https://nmtracking.org/fire . Smoke concentration data is available at: https://tools.airfire.org/monitoring/v4 .
Fire Information Links: Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com and http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5814/ . For information on the Gila National Forest, please visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila .
Fire Information: (602) 529-5924 Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
InciWeb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5814/ Email: buzzardfireinfo2018@gmail.com