April 24, 2026
Gila Las Cruces Type 3 IMT Assumes Command of Hummingbird Fire
Acres: 25
Start Date: 4/20/2026
Location:15 miles east of Glenwood, NM
Personnel: 164
Containment: 0 %
Cause: Lightning
Summary: The lightning-caused Hummingbird Fire is burning in the Gila Wilderness through dense patches of brush, dead and down fuels, and standing dead trees (snags) left behind from Whitewater-Baldy fire in 2012. After an aggressive initial attack by ground resources, 2 large airtankers and a Type 1 helicopter, the fire continued to grow.
Due to the heavy loading of snags and medical extraction times in excess of 3 hours, direct tactics adjacent to the fire were deemed unsafe by initial attack resources. The fire will require a combination of direct and indirect tactics to contain the fire. With a lack of natural barriers, steep terrain, and a prolonged severe drought area wide, the Hummingbird Fire will continue to grow in the Gila Wilderness. The priorities for the incident will be firefighter and public safety, private property, Forest Service infrastructure, heritage and natural resources.
In addition to the Type 3 Incident Management Team, more resources arrived at the Hummingbird Fire yesterday. Fire crews continue to suppress the Hummingbird Fire with aircraft support where they can safely engage, and scouted holding features in Gilita Creek. Today crews will continue to open handlines from the 2025 Turkey Feather Fire and identify additional holding features to protect Willow Creek subdivision. Resources will be assessing structures in Willow Creek. A dip site will be set up at Snow Lake for rotor wing aircraft to support ground crews with water drops.
Weather: Near critical fire weather conditions are expected to persist Friday and Saturday with dry conditions where relative humidities are forecasted to be 10-15% and breezy Southwest winds that could gust up to 30 MPH.
Safety: Temporary Flight Restrictions are over the Hummingbird Fire. If You Fly, We Can't No drones, please.
Smoke: Smoke is expected to drift to the Northwest of Willow Creek, for real-time smoke conditions, visit: https://fire.airnow.gov/.
Fire Restrictions: The Gila National Forest is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions forest visitors are restricted from the following: 1.) Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire including charcoal and briquettes, outside of a fire structure that is provided by the Forest Service within a designated area. 2.) Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, at a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least (3) feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. For more information on Fire Restrictions visithttps://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/gila/alerts-notices.
For more information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-hummingbird-fire
Public Information Officer:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest
