LINCOLN COUNTY, N.M. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today that the Camp Fire at the Fort Stanton - Snowy River National Conservation Area (NCA) in Lincoln County is 100% contained. In addition, the BLM will open the West Mesa and Red Tank roads tomorrow, June 3. Rob Jaggers Campground, Fort Stanton Cave Campground, the Fort Stanton Historical Site and N.M. Highway 220 opened previously.
The fire started Sunday, May 25, and damaged five structures as it burned 877 acres. The cause remains under investigation. The Pecos Zone Type-3 Incident Command Team transferred command of the fire to the BLM May 30. Nearly 150 fire personnel worked to subdue the fire, and the BLM thanks them all for their hard work. Although the fire is contained, hot spots may remain, and fire personnel will continue to monitor the situation.
Congress established the 25,080-acre NCA in 2009 to protect the unique and nationally important historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational subterranean cave resources of Fort Stanton Cave and the Snowy River formation within it. The State of New Mexico manages the Fort Stanton Historical Site within the NCA, which features buildings from the former Fort Stanton Military Reservation. In 1855, the U.S. Army established Fort Stanton as an Infantry and Cavalry post in the east-central New Mexico Territory to protect settlers in the region. The fire did not damage buildings in the main part of the historical site, but outlying structures.
Please note that the BLM Roswell District, Lincoln County and the N.M. Forestry Division are all under fire restrictions or a burn ban. Campfires of any kind (wood, charcoal, wood stoves), chainsaw use, smoking outdoors, operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and outdoor welding are all prohibited. The BLM appreciates the public's cooperation in helping to minimize the number of human-caused wildfires. For more information, please contact the BLM Roswell Field Office at 575-627-0272 or the BLM NM Fire Restrictions site at Fire Restrictions | Bureau of Land Management (blm.gov). Find additional information about fire restrictions at NM Fire Info | New Mexico Fire Information.
