Front Page News

Southwest Area
Incident Management Team
TEAM 4 – Andrew Mandell – INCIDENT COMMANDER

Communities urged to monitor evacuation status for Trout Fire

Public meeting scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Monday, June 16

Evening Update for June 15, 2025

Map Below

Fire Information Phone: 575-323-8964 (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

Acres: 12,330                                                                       Start Date: June 12, 2025
Location: 12 miles north of Silver City, NM         Cause: Undetermined
Personnel: 552                                                      Fuels: Grass, brush and timber
Containment: 0%

By Mary Alice Murphy

At the request of and hosting by Merritt Hamilton Allen, founder and owner of strategic communications firm Vox Optima, the Beat received an invitation to speak with Hidalgo Medical Services Chief Executive Officer Dan Otero DBA (doctor of business administration) and HMS Board Chair Carmen Acosta, a retired Hidalgo County clerk and later probate judge, who said she loved serving the public and making a difference in the communities. Also joining the group was new board member Lorenzo Saenz, a nurse and former Army medic, who teaches kinesiology at Western New Mexico University. He noted he is a graduate of Cobre and said he's happy to be back and able to serve the community he lived in.

Allen thanked the Beat for taking time to hear from the leadership of HMS because "what I found really interesting about this board is they made a decision to focus all of their outreach and public relations on patient care and patient outreach. And that's one reason you haven't heard much, and suddenly we're here with a lot of negative scrutiny, and they decided it's time to start having a conversation."

ROAD CLOSURE:

CLOSURE- Magdalena Area

Closure, NM 163 southbound from mile marker 11, 11 miles south of NM52 to mile marker 38, 38 miles south of NM 52. Closed due to a forest fire.

GRANT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
EMERGENCY MEETING
JUNE 16, 2025
8:30 A.M.

Grant County Administration Center Commissioners' Chambers

AGENDA

I. Call to Order
II. Pledge of Allegiance and Salute to the Flag
III. Approval of Emergency Meeting Agenda
IV. Public Input
V. Resolutions
a. Resolution No. R-25-41 Declaration of Local Emergency in the County of Grant for the Trout Fire
VI. Commissioner Comments
VII. Adjourn

Visit this link to see the resolution: https://www.grantcountybeat.com/community/legals/grant-county-commissioner-emergency-resolution-no-r-25-41 

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting May 27, 2025. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, Mayor Pro Tem Guadalupe Cano, Nicholas Prince, Rudy Bencomo (phone) and Stan Snider.

The town proclaimed June 2-8, 2025, First New Mexico Bank Wild, Wild West Rodeo Week. The Southwest Horsemen's Association and Casper Baca rodeo will be presenting the rodeo. This will be the rodeo's 33rd year in Silver City. Cattle ranching had been created by the early settlers of North America, and it has been a major contributor to the history, culture and customs of the county. The rodeo helps keep these qualities alive and has been a major tourist attraction. Mr. Rocko had not been able to be there at this time but came just before the meeting ended and accepted the proclamation and thanked the town.

Southwest Area
Incident Management Team
TEAM 4 – Andrew Mandel – INCIDENT COMMANDER
Increased fire activity observed on Trout Fire as critically dry conditions persist

Map and Smoke outlook below: [Editor's Note: Some browsers are not showing the map, but you can download it.]

Fire Update for June 15, 2025

Fire Information Phone: 575-323-8964 (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

Media Information Phone: 575-323-8984 (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

Acres: 12,330                                                        Start Date: June 12, 2025

Location: 12 miles north of Silver City, NM         Cause: Under Investigation

Personnel: 552 Fuels: Grass, brush and timber       Containment: 0%

USFS began defensive backfiring operations @ 10PM.

PNM has initiated a PSPS Power shut off at the request of the USFS for the safety of their crews conducting night operations in support of the ongoing containment efforts of the Trout Fire.

Power has been shut for all communities along Hwy 35 and 15 from the Wilderness Ranger Station to the Cliff Dwellings until 0800 Sunday morning. It is estimated that 375 customers will be impacted.

The Sapillo VFD Station and the Upper Mimbres VFD Thunderbird Station have back-up generators if residents need electricity to charge devices.

I would like to provide an update on the Trout Fire. The fire is currently 5,234 acres and 0% contained.

Evacuation Map below. [Editor's Note: If the entire map does not show in your browser, you have the option of downloading it by clicking the tiny download arrow below it.]

As a matter of public safety, residents in the Gattons Park and Camp Thunderbird communities were placed in "Go" status and ordered to evacuate. New Mexico State Police, Grant County Sheriff's Office and Upper Mimbres VFD evacuated residents in the communities along Highway 35 from the Sapillo Campground to the Wilderness Ranger Station. Highway 35 is closed at Wilderness Ranger Station for all incoming traffic.