Rico Fire Update – June 26, 2023
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 26 June 2023 26 June 2023
Rico Fire Update – June 26, 2023
Location: ¼ mile NW of Pinos Altos, NM I Size: 421 acres I Containment: 61% I Personnel: 157
Start Date: June 20, 2023 I Cause: Under investigation I Fuels: Slash, timber and brush
The LAST FIRE UPDATE for the RICO FIRE will be issued on June 28
SILVER CITY, NM, June 26, 2023 – Having achieved 61% containment, the next phase of the Rico Fire will be suppression repair which involves immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion. Impacts result from fire suppression activities and repair/rehab work usually begins before the fire is contained and before demobilization of the Incident Management Team. This work repairs hand and dozer lines, trails, staging areas, safety zones, drop points, and possibly roads used during the firefighting effort. Visibility of the handline constructed during the fire will be reduced to prevent it from becoming a new trail or travel corridor. Brush and limbs may be scattered onto firelines so that a more natural appearance is restored. Waterbars are installed to facilitate drainage, especially on sloped terrain and handline intersections with roads and trails.
Grant County Commission 060623 work session and regular meeting 060823 part 6
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 25 June 2023 25 June 2023
[Editor's Note: This article is the sixth of a series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session on June 6, 2023 and the regular meeting on June 8, 2023. This article begins with a second presentation and the continuing review of the regular meeting agenda and decisions made.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
The second presentation at the Grant County Commission regular meeting on June 8, 2023, featured Gila Regional Medical Center Interim Chief Executive Officer Margie Molitor. She said her No. 1 job is onboarding the new Board of Trustees, who will begin their terms on July 1, 2023. "I had an informal meeting with them the other evening, and another meeting tonight for them to meet leadership. Six of the seven will attend the New Mexico Hospital Association board education event on June 21 and 22. We will hold two orientations for them in July."
She said the hospital had completed its first month of rounding with directors visiting with their staff members. "One told me she didn't know that she would benefit from it, until she sat down with some of them and listened to them and thought: 'Wow, this is a good thing.' We'll continue to refine the process, but we've had some really good feedback from the first month. We are continuing to work on becoming a certified chest pain center through the American College of Cardiology. Our steam sterilization tank has been replaced, and we're back to full sterilizations. I thank the team for what they and sister hospitals did to keep things functioning."
Gabe Ramos new clerk-treasurer for Bayard
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 25 June 2023 25 June 2023
By Lynn Janes
The town of Bayard held a work session June 12, 2023. The work session allows the council time to ask questions about items on the agenda and discuss them.
Marlena Valenzuela, city clerk, addressed the council with some information and concerns. Police Chief, Hector Carrillo had inquired about adding phone lines and Ortiz reached out to Michael Paez, public works director, to see if his department needed to increase its lines.
Valenzuela wanted to address some information that had come out in the Silver City Daily Press that had been incorrect. The paper had said Bayard had a $7 million surplus. “We do not have a surplus.” She went over the budget line by line with the council. She pointed out the $7 million belonged to restricted funds. Those funds have been allocated to EMS, fire, law enforcement, water, projects, etc. “These funds can’t be used for anything else. The city must, as a requirement, keep funds as reserves for the entities and projects. We do not a $7 million surplus.”
Rico Fire Update – June 25, 2023
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 25 June 2023 25 June 2023
Rico Fire Update – June 25, 2023
Location: ¼ mile NW of Pinos Altos, NM I Size: 421 acres I Containment: 50% I Personnel: 179
Start Date: June 20, 2023 I Cause: Under investigation I Fuels: Slash, timber and brush
SILVER CITY, NM, June 25, 2023 – As of last night, firefighters had reached 50% containment. Work to contain the fire continued through the night and steady progress is being made. Today’s Public Information Map that accompanies this Rico Fire Update shows the completed containment line as of early this morning. Firefighters are also mopping up, where they will check for and extinguish hot spots that may exist in the interior of the Rico Fire.
Some of their work also involves “cold trailing,” where firefighters will often use their bare hand to detect heat, not by touching a heat source, but by simply feeling the sensation of heat from a safe distance. If a heat source, such as smoldering stumps, roots, downed logs and woody debris is found, they will extinguish it by digging it out and/or using water to douse it. These measures are necessary to ensure that any potential ignition source is completely extinguished.
Road OPENED: Crash in Cliff area closes US 280 at milepost 56
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 25 June 2023 25 June 2023
As of 1:01 p.m. the roadway is now OPEN
ROAD CLOSURE
CRASH – Cliff Area
US 180 southbound is closed in both directions from milepost 56 due to a motor vehicle crash. Motorists are asked to reduce speed, obey posted signs, and watch for emergency personnel, and equipment. Please use extreme caution and expect delays.
Pass Fire Update June 25, 2023
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 25 June 2023 25 June 2023
Pass Fire
Gila National Forest Incident Commanders –Billy Trujillo, Dustin Roper (t)
Information Phone: 575-388-8211 Hours: 8 am-4:30 pm Email:2023.Pass@Firenet.gov
Acres: 54,454
Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM
Containment: 13%
Personnel: 79
Start Date: May 18, 2023
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Timber, pinon/juniper and grass
As expected yesterday, with drier conditions and gusty westerly winds, the Pass Fire moved through an additional 989 acres in the southeast portion near Green Fly Trail (26) and Burnt Corral Canyon, according to last night's infrared flight. Observed fire behavior is low to moderate, consuming small stands of piñon and juniper, downed logs, and dry vegetation. Fire crews including a hotshot crew are in that area working to upgrade and maintain existing trails and roads that will be used as containment lines to ensure the fire stays within the intended designated boundaries with the goal of protecting private property to the east and all values at risk. Additional growth of the Pass Fire is anticipated until a soaking rain event occurs.