By Roger Lanse

Black smoke billowing into the sky southeast of town on Thursday, Apr. 27, 2023, caused some Grant County residents concern about a possible evacuation, according the Silver City Fire Department Chief Milo Lambert. However, Lambert told the Beat that it was only a one-quarter acre grass fire that had reached a big pile of large tractor tires on Glen Ranch Road near the Grant County Detention Center. Lambert said, "It looked terrible."

Lambert stated the fire started while a rancher was clearing weeds, but there was no recklessness or intent to ignite involved. In fact, the rancher helped control the fire and brought drinking water out for the approximately 36 firefighters fighting the blaze. Those firefighters came from SCFD, and the Tyrone, Whiskey Creek, Pinos Altos, and Fort Bayard volunteer fire departments. Any department with a water tender was asked to roll, Lambert said, as the burning tires were difficult to extinguish and no water was available on scene.

Eventually, Lambert stated, Runyan Construction of Silver City supplied a backhoe/loader and driver to excavate a large trench into which the burning tires were pushed and buried. SCFD was paged out around noon and stayed on scene until approximately 8:15 p.m. The Tyrone VFD is monitoring the site, Lambert said.

No injuries were reported.