A National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Team is managing the Jenkins Creek and Horse River fires under a full suppression strategy. Ensuring public and firefighter safety remain a primary priority.

Crews in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness have provided better mapping of the perimeter of the Horse River Fire. The fire is now estimated to be 13 acres in size.

Work of the crews on both the Jenkins Creek and Horse River fires will be tested by the weather that we will experience today. We will see higher temperatures that approach the mid-80s, humidity between 25 – 30%, and winds gusting between 25 – 30 mph. These are near red flag warning conditions that can produce extreme fire weather and fire behavior.

Jenkins Creek Fire Quick Facts

Size: 16,091 acres                               Containment:94%                 Personnel:212

An additional Wildland Fire Module, equipped with another Unmanned Aerial System (UAS/drone), will assist in mapping of the perimeter of the Jenkins Creek Fire. The existing UAS crew will continue their missions, flying at night, to identify remaining residual heat within the perimeter of the fire. Yesterday, helicopter water drops occurred in the northwest area of the fire. Crews will revisit this area, and the area of fire previously worked in the vicinity of Laird Creek, to make sure they are secure. No additional sources of heat were detected yesterday in the southern area of the fire. Multiple sources of heat were worked in the northern half of the fire. Hazard tree removal in the area of the Cadotte Campground has been paused for today in anticipation of predicted fire weather conditions. Infrared drone flights to detect residual heat sources will continue to be used to strategically direct crews to identified heat sources. Anticipating the possibility of active fire behavior with the change in weather, the primary focus of today’s operations will be to patrol, monitor, and secure those areas of heat that the crews have been working over the last several days.

Horse River Fire Quick Facts

Size: 13 acres                                      Containment: 0%                   Personnel: 23

The two Wildland Fire Modules working in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will continue to directly engage the Horse River Fire. The crews are also providing improved mapping of the fire. As they hike along the perimeter of the fire, they are capturing GPS coordinates of the fire perimeter which provides a more accurate picture of the fire. The crews will continue to methodically work their way across an environment that is not only remote, but difficult to traverse, continuing to locate and suppress sources of heat on the fire. 

Fire Weather & Behavior:  Overnight temperatures were approximately 10 degrees warmer than what we’ve experienced in the last week.  We will see a noticeable change in fire weather conditions today. Temperatures will reach the mid-80s, winds will approach 25 to 30 mph, relative humidities will be between 25 and 30%. These are near red flag warning conditions. The possibility of thunderstorms begins this evening and is likely to continue throughout the night. These storms are likely to bring rain, but will also bring strong wind gusts that are likely to result in windthrow of fire damaged trees and tree limbs. These storms may bring lightning as well.

Northland Alert: Fire season is still ahead of us. It might be appropriate to think of enrolling in the St. Louis County Northland Alert program if you already haven’t. This system allows you to receive emergency notifications in a variety of formats that include phone notifications, text messages, or email. You’ll find information for Northland Alert here: https://sheriff-slcgis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/northland-alert.

Banana Lake Fire Update

                Start Date & Location: May 31, 2024    4 miles north of Plains, MT
Cause: Unknown, under investigation             Size: 850 acres                Containment: 0%
 

KEY MESSAGE
Speed reductions are in effect along portions of Highway 28. Drivers are urged to slow down and use caution when traveling near the fire area to eliminate conflicts with emergency response traffic.

The fire area remains closed to all non-emergency personnel. Access is restricted to ensure the safety of both the public and firefighting crews operating in the area.

CURRENT STATUS AND PLANNED ACTIONS
The Western Montana Incident Management Team, under the leadership of Incident Commander Ken Parks, assumed command of the Banana Lake Fire at 6:00 AM on June 2, 2025.

The fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy. Crews will engage in direct attack operations where it is safe to do so, while also assessing opportunities to secure existing fireline and construct additional line where needed. Fire activity is currently most pronounced on the northern and eastern flanks, where short-range spotting has been observed. Firefighters will prioritize locating and extinguishing any spot fires that occur outside the main perimeter.

To the north, crews will construct handline to connect segments of previously established dozer line. Challenging terrain and hazard trees pose safety concerns for ground personnel.

Helicopters will support ground operations by conducting bucket drops on areas of heat along the fire’s edge.

Crews remain prepared to respond to any new fire starts within the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) area and in zones adjacent to the current fire perimeter.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Fire activity is expected to moderate today, with areas of creeping fire and the potential for short-range spotting and group tree torching.
Skies will be partly cloudy, with temperatures ranging from 62 to 67°F across the fire area. Northwest winds will range from 6 to 10 mph. The chance of wetting rain remains low at 10%. Relative humidity values are expected to drop into the low to mid-20% range during the day.
Tonight, wind gusts could exceed 20 mph through approximately 11:00 PM. Overnight, relative humidity will improve, with recoveries expected above 30%.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
There are no evacuation or closures related to the Banana Lake Fire at this time. 
 

Acres: 727                                                                                                  
Start Date: Monday, May 26, 2025
Location: 13 miles south of Quemado, NM                                                                                         Personnel: 115
Containment: 92%
Cause: Human-caused, under investigation

Summary: The Paradise Fire north of Quemado Lake is now 92% contained at 727 acres. 

Yesterday, the Burned Area Emergency Response team began assessing the impacts of the fire to determine possible treatment needs with the aim of stabilizing and preventing degradation of natural and cultural resources. 

Today, the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team stands ready for initial attack on any new starts that may result from passing thunderstorms. Tuesday morning, command of the Paradise Fire will transfer to a smaller Type 4 organization, composed of local firefighting resources. This will be the final daily update on the Paradise Fire unless conditions change significantly.

Quemado Lake is open for public use, and on Tuesday, Road 13D/Baca Road will also open to the public. Visitors should use caution for their own safety as well as the protection of firefighters.

Weather: The high temperature today is expected to be in the upper 60s. Showers and then thunderstorms are likely.

Safety: It will still be important to stay diligent and travel cautiously in the fire area and around fire personnel.

Smoke: Local air quality ratings are good. For real-time smoke conditions, visit: https://fire.airnow.gov/.

Fire Restrictions: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are in place on the Gila National Forest. For full details, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila/alerts/stage-2-fire-restrictions.

For more information:

Public Information Officer: Email Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.govor 575-388-8211, 8am - 8pm 

Incident Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-paradise-fire 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest

Our top priorities are firefighter and public safety. When wildfires threaten our communities, every second and every resource counts. Fire crews use a process called “structure triage” to quickly decide which homes can be safely defended. By assessing fire behavior, available resources, surrounding vegetation, and structure conditions, tough calls are made, sometimes with minutes to spare. Even if your home isn’t directly threatened, it’s critical to ensure your house is Firewise and to follow all evacuation orders.

During the Cody Fire, a structure group was deployed to help assess future needs for the Oracle residents. Firefighters from the Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 went from home to home assessing the current status. These evaluations help communities and land managers know where work needs to be done to help reduce the risk to property.

Residents present during evaluations can expect to hear numbers or words being used as this process takes place. Categories for structure triage can be assigned numbers or abbreviations for quick identification and communication. For example, a system might use 1, 2, 3, or letters like D-SA, D-PH, ND-PL, ND-RDB, to represent different levels of defensibility.

Defensible - Standalone: Safe zone nearby, minimal threat. These homes can often stand on their own with minimal support.

Defensible - Prep & Hold: Firefighters stay and protect these homes during the fire front because they are at risk, but defendable.

Non-Defensible - Prep & Leave: No safety zone, moderate risk. Firefighters do what they can quickly, then retreat before it gets too dangerous.

Non-Defensible - Rescue Drive-by: No safety zone and serious risk. Firefighters focus on evacuating anyone inside and then must leave.

By making your home Defensible – Standalone, you not only reduce the risk for your property, but also for those around you.

Stay safe, stay prepared, and thank you for supporting our crews on the frontlines by being Firewise. 

Gate with burned private property sign.

Sun, 06/01/2025 - 17:05

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Gate with burned private property sign.

While many wildfires leave little long-term damage, some fires destroy vegetation, increase erosion, and raise the risk of flooding and water contamination. That’s why the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program kicks into gear — often before the fire is even out.

What does BAER do?

• Stabilizes soil to prevent landslides and floods

• Protects homes, roads, and water supplies downstream

• Uses emergency treatments like reseeding, mulching, and drainage repairs

• Installs signs, barriers, and erosion controls to keep landscapes safe

For the Cody Fire, the BAER team includes experts in hydrology and engineering. Work performed on the ground is a team effort between the Coronado National Forest, utilities, and local emergency crews to install and establish a treatment plan before a storm hits, which could result in additional damage. The most visible of these treatments will be burned area signs established along the forest boundary where the Cody Fire footprint is located. 

This one-year funding, less than 5% of the total cost of the fire, helps provide for safer communities, healthier lands, and quicker resource recovery. 

READ walking towards BAER sign on the AZ Trail.

Sun, 06/01/2025 - 16:56

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READ walking towards BAER sign on the AZ Trail.

A National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Team is managing the Jenkins Creek and Horse River fires under a full suppression strategy. Ensuring public and firefighter safety remain a primary priority.

Crews in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness continue fire suppression efforts on the Horse River Fire.

We have experienced several days of drying conducive to the development of active fire behavior. That trend will continue today and will be pronounced on Monday when we experience high temperatures well into the 80s with winds gusting to over 20 mph. 

Jenkins Creek Fire Quick Facts

Size: 16,091 acres                               Containment:94%                 Personnel:188

Aided by the daily intelligence gained from the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS/drone) infrared flights over the perimeter of the fire, crews successfully located and addressed sources of heat on the east flank of the fire in the vicinity of Colvin Creek and to the northwest in the vicinity of the 420 Road. Crews were aided by helicopter water drops in the northwest area of the fire. Crews will revisit this area today to ensure that these areas of heat are secured.  Crews evaluated a report of a visible smoke in the southern portion of the fire and will return to the area today. Crews continued hazard tree removal in the area of the Cadotte Campground and will continue that work today. Infrared drone flights will continue to be used over the Jenkins Creek Fire perimeter to detect locations of residual heat. This information is used to strategically direct crews to hotspots so as to minimize their exposure to hazards within the fire footprint. Chipping operations have been completed along the 113 Road; grading to repair the road surface will continue today.

Horse River Fire Quick Facts

Size: 15 acres                                      Containment: 0%                   Personnel: 22

The two Wildland Fire Modules that have been inserted into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness have begun active suppression of the Horse River Fire. Water handling equipment, consisting of blivets, which are 75 gallon heavy duty vinyl water storage bags, and backpack bladder bags were transported by helicopter to the crews to aid their suppression efforts. Because the fire has moved slowly across the forest floor in patches and fingers, which are difficult to detect from the air, the crews will spend considerable effort seeking sources of heat. Yesterday, the crews located an approximately one acre fire separate from the Horse River Fire. Today, the modules on the fire will continue the methodical work to detect and secure remaining sources of heat throughout the area of the Horse River Fire. Though there are certainly still sources of heat within the fire, yesterday a crew member described the fire this way: “This actually is exactly what we want – a natural ignition, natural spread and movement, and it naturally put itself to bed.”

Fire Weather & Behavior:  The drying trend we experienced yesterday will continue today. Monday’s fire weather conditions will become hotter, dryer, and windier, testing suppression efforts with temperatures near 90 degrees, relative humidity in the mid-20s, and wind gusts that will approach 25 mph. There remains a chance of wetting rain on Tuesday, June 3rd, that may moderate the fire behavior that we are likely to experience today and Monday. The smoke alert issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency remains in effect until 6:00 PM Monday, June 2nd.

Fire Danger and Burning Restrictions: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources rates the fire danger in the vicinity of the Jenkins Creek and Horse River fires as “very high.”  Burning restrictions are in place that allow for campfires, but no open burning. As we enter Monday, which will bring hotter, dryer, and windy weather, we will have had multiple days of drying conditions that are conducive to active fire behavior. Please stay alert, exercise caution in the out-of-doors.

Acres: 727
Start Date: Monday, May 26, 2025
Location: 13 miles south of Quemado, NM                                
Personnel: 125
Containment: 87%                                                                     
Cause: Human-caused, under investigation

Summary: The Paradise Fire north of Quemado Lake is holding at 727 acres and is now 87% contained.

Firefighters have completed dozer line repair work and chipping and are now focused on patrolling, monitoring the fire perimeter as they work to mop up residual heat and keep the fire within established hand lines, dozer lines, and roads. 

The unmanned aerial system flew over the fire perimeter, helping resources to identify hot spots. The flights will now also support the Burned Area Emergency Response team to assess the need for possible treatment to stabilize and prevent degradation of resource values. A priority objective remains protection of values at risk, including private property/residences, Socorro Electric Powerline, range infrastructure, Quemado Lake Recreation Area, and cultural resource sites.

Quemado Lake, Piñon, Juniper, and El Caso Campgrounds are now open for public use. Please use caution and drive slowly around fire crews and firefighting vehicles. Due to heavy fire traffic, members of the public are asked to keep off Forest Road 13D for their own safety as well as the protection of firefighters.

The Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team is available for initial attack on any new starts that may result from predicted thunderstorms and dry lightning. Aviation resources also remain available if needed.

Weather: Today will bring highs in the 80s and scattered thunderstorms and showers. Monday’s forecast includes likely showers and thunderstorms with a high in the upper 60s.

Safety: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in effect over the fire area. Unauthorized drone use poses a serious risk to aerial firefighting operations. If you fly, we can’t.

Smoke: Local air quality ratings have ranged between “good” to “moderate” in recent days. For real-time smoke and air quality conditions, visit: https://fire.airnow.gov/.

Fire Restrictions: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are in place on the Gila National Forest. For full details, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila/alerts/stage-2-fire-restrictions.

For more information:

Public Information Officer: Email Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.govor 575-388-8211, 8am - 8pm 

Incident Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-paradise-fire 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest

Cody Fire

Update: Friday, May 31, 2025

Santa Catalina Ranger District 

Start Date: 5/21/2025

Acres: 1,223

Containment: 90%

Personnel: 57

Today, firefighters continued to patrol and monitor the Cody Fire. Maintenance crews from the San Carlos Irrigation Project were successful in repairing powerlines for the Community of Oracle. The power was restored to the community at 10:30 am. Fire suppression repair work is progressing with crews and excavators rehabilitating dozer line and creating erosion control measures.

All roads are open; however, we ask that visitors exercise caution when driving near the fire area. Crews and equipment are still working in the area. Due to the hazards that recently burned areas pose, the fire area remains closed. This includes the portion of the Arizona Trail leading up to Mount Lemmon. 

Please remember that the Coronado National Forest is under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. This means that you cannot have any campfires in dispersed or developed campgrounds. Charcoal grills are NOT allowed, and propane stoves must have an automatic shut off valve. Help keep the Coronado National Forest a safe and beautiful place to visit!

Fire Restrictions

Sat, 05/31/2025 - 21:21

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Fire Restrictions