Trails #141, #151, #157, and #171 in Gila Wilderness temporarily closed for public safety
MIMBRES, NM, July 13, 2024 – The Gila National Forest, Wilderness Ranger District, has implemented a temporary closure of four trails in the Gila Wilderness in the immediate vicinity of the Ridge Fire.
"This trail closure is necessary to keep members of the public safe from hazards associated with fire and fire suppression activities, as well as to allow firefighters to focus on their duties and their own safety," said Wilderness District Ranger Brian Stultz. "The closure will be lifted as soon as feasible depending on duration of the fire. I appreciate the public's cooperation in avoiding the fire area."
The trail closure includes all or portions of #141 Cooper Canyon Trail, #151 West Fork Trail, #157 Middle Fork Trail, and 171 Iron Creek Mesa Trail in the vicinity of the Ridge Fire. The area closure and associated map are posted online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/gila/alerts-notices .The closure will be removed from the website when it is no longer in effect.
The Ridge Fire started as a lightning strike on July 4 and is burning in grass and down woody debris resulting from the Bear Fire in 2006. It is located near the Willow Creek Campground and Trailhead, about 24 miles south of Reserve, New Mexico and about 19 miles east of Glenwood, New Mexico.
You can find updates on the Ridge Fire at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-ridge-fire , at www.fs.usda.gov/gila , on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GilaNForest , or at https://nmfireinfo.com . For more information contact Maribeth Pecotte at 575-388-8211 or Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.gov .