Goose Fire

Fire Update July 11, 2025

Acres: 110                       Start Date: Monday, July 9, 2025                   Location: 18 miles NW of Silver City, NM

Personnel: 55           Containment: 0%                 Cause: Lightning/Natural

Summary: The Goose Fire is active in the southern edge of the Gila Wilderness. It is located west of Sheep Springs, south of the Gila River and east of Sheep's Corral Canyon. Visitors to the Gila Wilderness should be aware that the fire is burning near Goose Lake Trail #238, Monument Ridge Trail #254, and Packsaddle Trail #732.

Multiple Type 1 crews have attempted to directly engage the fire, but fuels conditions, steep and rugged terrain, and outflow winds have presented challenges. Firefighters continue scouting and prepping trails to the south and east of the fire, while also closely assessing values at risk. The fire is burning east of the 2023 Turkey fire and moving through ponderosa pine, grass, and brush.

SILVER CITY, NM, July 11, 2025—Heavy lightning activity over the past two days caused multiple wildfires on the Gila National Forest. Many were immediately suppressed by fire crews. All currently active fires are discussed below. Reports on the Turkeyfeather Fire and the Goose Fire will be in separate notifications.

Reserve Ranger District

• Both the Eckleberger Fire (6 acres) and Telephone Fire (10 acres) started on July 10 and burned in ponderosa pine overstory and grass understory. Resources secured the fire starts and stopped forward progress by the end of the operational period.

Wilderness Ranger District

Turkeyfeather Fire Update July 11, 2025

Acres: 7,028                      Start Date: Monday, June 30, 2025                         Location: 22 miles SE of Reserve, NM 

Personnel: 89                   Containment: 0%                          Cause: Lightning/Natural

Summary:   The Turkeyfeather Fire is active in the northern Gila Wilderness. It is located west of the Middle Fork of the Gila River, south of Iron Creek and east of Cooper Canyon. A second fire in the area, the Chicken Fire, is also active. Although there is a possibility the two fires could merge, they have not done so. Visitors to the Gila Wilderness should be aware that the fires are burning in the area of Lilley Park Trail #164, Iron Creek Mesa Trail #171, and Cooper Trail #141 and Turkeyfeather Pass.

By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held a regular meeting June 12, 2025. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Trustees Peter Erickson, Olga Amador and Ralph Trujillo attended. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza did not attend.

The council approved the agenda, past meeting minutes and department head reports.

Mayor's report

Lopez said they had finished with a lot of the projects downtown including the buffer islands. The YCC (Youth Conservation Corps) kids had come in to do much of the work and maintenance had moved a lot of heavy rock. They had put in plants and trees that would not need a lot of water and had all done a really good job.

By Lynn Janes

(Writers note. This article only represents a portion of the meeting. They started the meeting early and the writer has not been able to obtain a recording or minutes to fill in the part that took place before 5:00 pm)

The town of Hurley had a regular meeting June 10, 2025. Mayor Ed Stevens, Mayor Pro Tem Reynaldo Maynes, Pete Ordonez, Aron Phillips and Robert Candelaria attended.

The council approved the attendance of Sonia Ray, police clerk, to a municipal court clerk conference in Albuquerque. Kevin Vigil, police chief, said this conference ensures Ray has the training needed to preform her job correctly. The funds for her attendance come out of the court fund.

Turkeyfeather Fire Update July 10, 2025

 Acres: 5,983                Start Date: Monday, June 30, 2025                    Location: 22 miles SE of Reserve, NM 

Personnel: 75                Containment: 0%                Cause: Lightning/Natural

Summary:   The Turkeyfeather Fire is actively burning in the northern Gila Wilderness. It is located west of the Middle Fork of the Gila River, south of Iron Creek and east of Cooper Canyon. A second nearby fire, the Chicken Fire, is also active in the area. Due to their proximity, the two fires could merge. Visitors to the Gila Wilderness should be aware that the fires are burning in the area of Lilley Park Trail #164, Iron Creek Mesa Trail #171, and Cooper Trail #141 and Turkeyfeather Pass.