Start date: Aug. 17, 2020             Cause: Lightning              Size: 3,773 acres              Containment: 90%

Location: Rio en Medio Trail, Española Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest

Current status:  The southwestern side of the Medio Fire is putting up a fair amount of smoke today as hot, dry conditions contributed to more active fire behavior. Aerial observation confirms that the interior pockets of fuel burning now are surrounded by black and have limited potential to spread. Containment lines around the fire’s perimeter continue to hold.

Resources:  Approximately 100 personnel are assigned to the Medio Fire with two engines, two helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft.

Weather:  Hot, dry and unstable conditions helped ignite unburned fuels on the fire’s interior.  The same conditions tomorrow are likely to cause a repeat of visible smoke. The good news is that record high temperatures are forecast to end when a surface cold front sweeps into New Mexico on Tuesday when temperatures will drop rapidly and bring light to moderate rain and even snow at higher elevations.

Values at risk: Nearby communities, Nambe Reservoir infrastructure, tribal and private inholdings, cultural resources, watersheds and riparian areas, power and phone lines, and grazing allotments.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Firefighters are conducting operations under protocols to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

Smoke: Smoke from the Medio Fire is visible as interior pockets of fuel continue to burn. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into the Santa Fe area to see the latest smoke information. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

Closures and Restrictions: The closure order remains in effect prohibiting members of the public from entering the area around the Medio Fire, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire due to dry weather conditions. The Santa Fe County burn ban remains in effect. The Temporary Flight Restriction over the fire area will remain in place.

Fire updates will be posted on the SFNF website, New Mexico Fire Information website and Inciweb as well as the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page and Twitter @SantafeNF.          

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Start date: Aug. 17, 2020             Cause: Lightning              Size: 3,773 acres              Containment: 90%

Location: Rio en Medio Trail, Española Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest

Current status:  This morning the Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 4 transferred command of the Medio Fire back to the Santa Fe National Forest, led by Type 4 Incident Commander John Armstrong. Aerial observation confirms that pockets of fuel in the interior continue to burn, putting out visible smoke but with limited potential to spread. Containment lines around the fire’s perimeter continue to hold.

Resources:  Santa Fe Hotshots, Silver City Hotshots, Santa Fe County Black Canyon Hand Crew, City of Santa Fe Atalaya Hand Crew, and two engines are on scene along with two helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft. Crews will be patrolling lines and monitoring fire behavior.

Weather: Above-normal temperatures continue today with daytime humidity falling into the mid-teens in many locations. Winds will be moderate from the west. Overnight humidity recoveries will be fair to moderate. Continued hot and dry conditions are expected to continue on Saturday with possible isolated showers and dry thunderstorms.

Values at risk: Nearby communities, Nambe Reservoir infrastructure, tribal and private inholdings, cultural resources, watersheds and riparian areas, power and phone lines, and grazing allotments.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Firefighters are conducting operations under protocols to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

Smoke: Smoke from the Medio Fire is visible as interior pockets of fuel continue to burn. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into the Santa Fe area to see the latest smoke information. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

Closures and Restrictions: The closure order remains in effect prohibiting members of the public from entering the area around the Medio Fire, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire due to dry weather conditions. The Santa Fe County burn ban remains in effect. The Temporary Flight Restriction over the fire area will remain in place.

Fire updates will be posted on the SFNF website, New Mexico Fire Information website and Inciweb as well as the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page and Twitter @SantafeNF.    

Santa Fe National Forest to assume command of the Medio Fire

Medio Fire – September 3, 2020 Final Daily Update

Acres: 3,741 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 74%

Total personnel: 203

Location: Rio en Medio Trail, Española Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: The Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 4 will transfer command of the Medio Fire back to the Santa Fe National Forest, led by Type 4 Incident Commander John Armstrong, at 6 am on Friday, September 4, 2020. This is the final update from the Incident Management Team (IMT). The Team extends its sincere thanks to the local communities and cooperators for their support and hospitality throughout this incident. 

 Operations: Yesterday, firefighters monitored smoke columns as small patches of unburnt fuels dried out and burned within the fire perimeter. Fire managers remain confident in the containment lines and anticipate that some interior patches of vegetation will continue to smolder. Today, fire crews will remove firefighting supplies, including several miles of hose, and use helicopters to retrieve equipment from remote areas. Crews will remove trash, clear cut vegetation from ditches, and complete blading of Forest Road 102 to leave the forest in good condition. The IMT will complete a thorough transition with the Santa Fe National Forest to ensure continued success after the team departs on Friday morning.

Community Meeting: A recording of yesterday’s virtual meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/santafeNF/. No account is required to view the video. The IMT will hold its final virtual community meeting tonight at 6 pm on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page. American Sign Language interpretation and live-captioning services are provided. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at 2020.medio@firenet.gov. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting. Please continue to follow the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page for informational updates and future opportunities for community engagement.

Closures and Restrictions: The closure order remains in effect prohibiting members of the public from entering the restricted area, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, within an area that is roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire due to dry weather conditions. The Santa Fe County burn ban remains in effect. The Temporary Flight Restriction over the fire area will remain in place.

 Smoke: Smoke will be visible as fuels continue to dry out. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found at https://www.env.nm.gov/air-quality/.  

 Contact Information: The Medio Fire Information phone number and email address will no longer be active after 8 pm tonight. For future updates, please contact the Santa Fe National Forest Public Affairs Office at 505-414-6438 or julieanne.overton@usda.gov.

 Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7031/
Santa Fe National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/
New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/author/sfnfpao/

Medio Fire activity winding down

Medio Fire – September 2, 2020 Daily Update

Operations: Yesterday, firefighting crews continued to “mop up” along the western perimeter, patrolling areas where burnout operations were completed on Monday. Mopping up involves extinguishing or removing burning material near containment lines after an area has burned. Despite warmer temperatures and increased winds, crews did not observe increased fire behavior or any new spot fires, which increased the team’s confidence that this area has been secured. With warmer temperatures today, the team will continue monitoring the area for signs of renewed fire activity. Suppression repair activities are continuing today. Fire crews will gather any remaining firefighting equipment such as hoses and pumps, using helicopters to remove equipment from the most remote areas. Structure protection equipment will be removed from residences along lower Pacheco Canyon and Rio en Medio. The incident management team will continue demobilizing resources throughout the remainder of the week.

Community Meeting: A recording of the meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/santafeNF/. No account is required to view the video. The next virtual community meeting will be held tonight at 6 pm on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page. American Sign Language interpretation and live-captioning services are provided. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at 2020.medio@firenet.gov. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting. The final virtual community meeting hosted by the IMT will be held tomorrow (September 3) at 6 pm.

Weather:  A cold front moved across the fire this morning. Temperatures will increase over the day, with a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. A warming and drying trend is expected to continue through the weekend. 

Closures and Restrictions: The closure order remains in effect prohibiting members of the public from entering the restricted area, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, within an area that is roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire under the current dry weather conditions. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Santa Fe County has a burn ban currently in effect.

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SantaFe. Smoke will be visible as fuels continue to dry out. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found at https://www.env.nm.gov/air-quality/.  

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7031/    
Santa Fe National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/      
New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/author/sfnfpao/
Interactive Map: https://arcg.is/1HK4WS                            
If You Fly, We Can’t: http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/

Successful burnout operations secure western fire edge

Medio Fire – September 1, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 3,681 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 59%

Total personnel: 242

Location: Rio en Medio Trail, Española Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: Crews worked into the night to successfully complete burnout operations on the western edge of the fire. These efforts aimed to eliminate the remaining fuel between the main body of the fire and the handline previously constructed by firefighters.

Operations: Today, firefighters will patrol the containment lines, mop up any hot spots, and continue suppression repair efforts. An initial attack crew stands ready to suppress any new fire starts. Yesterday, crews took advantage of favorable weather conditions to secure the perimeter on the western edge of the fire by burning remaining vegetation between the main body of the fire and the constructed fire line. Aided by aerial ignition, crews worked through the afternoon and into the evening hours to safely ignite a slow backing fire down the slopes to control the fire intensity. Crews completed blading of Aspen Ranch Road to Forest Road 102 as a part of suppression repair efforts. Due to the success of burnout operations yesterday, the incident management team will continue to demobilize resources this week.

Weather: A cold front is expected to move through New Mexico today. Decreased temperatures and increased humidity will temper fire behavior, however afternoon thunderstorms could bring erratic winds that may stoke flames in areas sheltered from precipitation.

Community Meeting: A recording of yesterday’s virtual community meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/santafeNF/. No account is required to view the video. The next virtual community meeting will be streamed tonight at 6 pm on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page. American Sign Language interpretation and live-captioning services are provided. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at 2020.medio@firenet.gov. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting.

Closures and Restrictions: The closure order remains in effect prohibiting members of the public from entering the restricted area, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, within an area that is roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire under the current dry weather conditions. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Santa Fe County has a burn ban currently in effect.

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SantaFe. Residual smoke from yesterday’s burnout operations may linger in canyons and valleys through the morning hours. Sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found at https://www.env.nm.gov/air-quality/.  

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7031/
Santa Fe National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/
New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/author/sfnfpao/

 Smoke may increase as burnouts resume

Medio Fire – August 31, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 3,453 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 55%

Total personnel: 255

Location: Rio en Medio Trail, Española Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: Warmer temperatures this afternoon may allow crews to use aerial ignition to bring low intensity fire toward the completed handline to secure the western side. Smoke may become increasingly visible as firefighters attempt to resume these critical burnout operations.

Operations: Today, firefighters are working together to determine the best conditions, timing, and location to bring the fire to the handline on the western side. As it warms up, heavy fuels should dry out and reignite, allowing burnout operations to continue. Yesterday, there were no burning operations and no new fire growth as a result of wetter conditions. Crews worked to repair suppression handlines and build waterbars to prevent erosion and slow the flow of future rains. Handlines near the Rio en Medio Trail were camouflaged to avoid being mistaken as recreational trails. Suppression repair also took place on the northern side of the fire. Crews assessed the potential for fire to move through the Pacheco burn scar through unburned logs and remaining canopy, and determined that a lack of ground fuels would limit the threat of fire escaping through this area. Chipping operations along Forest Road 102 were completed yesterday; today the road will be bladed as part of continued suppression repair efforts. Due to successful firefighting efforts, the incident management team (IMT) will continue to demobilize resources this week.

Community Meeting: The IMT hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday, with over 150 participants viewing the live video. A recording of the meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/santafeNF/. No account is required to view the video. The next virtual community meeting will be held tonight at 6 pm on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page. American Sign Language interpretation and live-captioning services are provided. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at 2020.medio@firenet.gov. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting.

Closures and Restrictions: The closure order remains in effect prohibiting members of the public from entering the restricted area, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, within an area that is roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. Despite the reduction in smoke, the Medio Fire is still active and the public should continue to exercise caution and avoid all areas that could be impacted by the Medio Fire. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire under the current dry weather conditions. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Santa Fe County has a burn ban currently in effect.

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SantaFe. Smoke will likely increase when firing operations resume. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found at https://www.env.nm.gov/air-quality/.  

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7031/     
Santa Fe National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/     
New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/author/sfnfpao/

Increased moisture allows crews to begin repairs

Medio Fire – August 30, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 3,453 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 55%

Total personnel: 284

Location: Rio en Medio Trail, Española Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: Intermittent rain over the past few days continues to delay planned burnout operations to secure the western side of the fire area. Until fuels have dried out, crews are shifting their efforts to suppression repair.

Operations: The recent rain has both helped and hindered operations on the Medio Fire. Fire intensity has been reduced across the fire and has given crews an opportunity to begin suppression repair efforts. At the same time, the increased moisture has further delayed burnout operations until fuels have dried enough to carry fire to the completed handlines along the western flank. Yesterday, crews hiked three hours into the fire area to complete handline around the spot fire that was discovered across the Rio Nambe Trail. Crews will continue to monitor this spot fire and assess future needs along the northern edge. Crews are working to chip and clear vegetation along Forest Road 102 and near homes in lower Pacheco Canyon. The threat to these homes continues to diminish with each passing day, although structural protection equipment remains in place as a safety precaution. Due to successful firefighting efforts, the incident management team (IMT) has started to demobilize resources to make them available to support other active incidents across the region. 

Community Meeting: The IMT hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday, with over 150 participants viewing the live video. A recording of the meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/santafeNF/. No account is required to view the video. The next virtual community meeting will be held tonight at 6 pm on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page. American Sign Language interpretation and live-captioning services are provided. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at 2020.medio@firenet.gov. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting. 

Weather:  Partly cloudy with cooler temperatures. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon. 

 Closures and Restrictions: Santa Fe County has implemented a burn ban. Stage 1 fire restrictions are in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire under the current weather conditions. A closure order remains in effect prohibiting members of the public from entering the restricted area, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, within an area that is roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. Fire managers are asking the public to exercise caution and avoid all areas that could be impacted by the Medio Fire. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. 

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SantaFe. Smoke will gradually increase throughout the week as fuels dry out and firing operations resume. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found at https://www.env.nm.gov/air-quality/.   

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7031/     Santa Fe National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/     New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/author/sfnfpao/

Interactive Map: https://arcg.is/1HK4WS                   If You Fly, We Can’t: http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/

 You can now view the Medio Fire daily operational video on the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/videos

Rains bring shift in firefighting strategy

Medio Fire – August 29, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 3,422 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 54%

Total personnel: 283

Location: Rio en Medio Trail, Española Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: Yesterday’s rain is limiting the size of burnout operations that were planned along the western flank. In response, crews will take a more direct suppression approach along the slow-moving fire’s edge.

Operations: During yesterday’s burnout operations, light white smoke was observed with a few areas that experienced higher intensity burning as the fire moved through small patches of mixed conifer. Late afternoon rains dampened fire activity along the western edge, allowing crews to complete a handline closer to the fire’s edge. A small spot fire was discovered along the northern perimeter near the Rio Nambe yesterday; ground crews and aviation assets will continue to assess and respond to this spot fire today. The fire is expected to continue to slowly burn through the remaining vegetation on the northeast into the 2011 Pacheco Fire burn scar. Existing containment lines along the southeast perimeter continue to hold. Containment along the southernmost perimeter has reduced the threat of the fire moving across the 102 road.

Community Meeting: The IMT hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday, with over 200 participants viewing the live video. A recording of the meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/santafeNF/. No account is required to view the video. The next virtual community meeting will be held tonight at 6 pm on the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page. American Sign Language interpretation and live-captioning services are provided. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at 2020.medio@firenet.gov. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting.

Weather:  Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop once again this afternoon around the fire area. Temperatures will be slightly cooler today with an increase in humidity throughout the day as these storms develop. Expect gusty and erratic winds from thunderstorms during the afternoon.

Closures and Restrictions: Santa Fe County has implemented a burn ban. Stage 1 fire restrictions are still in effect on the Santa Fe National Forest to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire under the current dry weather conditions. There is also a closure order in effect prohibiting members of the public from entering the restricted area, including all Forest Service lands, roads and trails, within an area that is roughly defined by the Rio Nambe Trail #160 on the north, the Borrego Trail #150 and Forest Road 412 on the east, Forest Road 102 on the south and back up the forest boundary line on the west to meet the Rio Nambe Trail #160. Fire managers are asking the public to exercise caution and avoid all areas that could be impacted by the Medio Fire. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Medio Fire.

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SantaFe. Less smoke is expected today due to the increased moisture from the recent rain. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found at https://www.env.nm.gov/air-quality/.  
 

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7031/     Santa Fe National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/       New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/author/sfnfpao/

Interactive Map: https://arcg.is/1HK4WS                             If You Fly, We Can’t: http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/

Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 reminds the public “If You Fly, We Can’t”

August 28, 2020 – The Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 4 urges individuals and organizations that fly Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), often referred to as “drones,” to stay away from the Medio Fire area to ensure the safety of firefighters and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. The Medio Fire is located approximately 7 miles north of Santa Fe, NM.

Aerial firefighting aircraft, such as airtankers and helicopters, fly at very low altitudes, typically just a couple of hundred feet above the ground, the same as UAS flown by individuals and organizations. This situation creates the potential for a mid-air collision that could seriously injure or kill aerial and/or ground firefighters. In addition, a UAS that loses its communication link could fall from the sky, causing serious injuries or deaths of firefighters on the ground.

Unauthorized UAS flights over or near the Medio Fire could lead fire managers to suspend aerial wildfire suppression operations – such as airtankers dropping fire retardant and helicopters dropping water - until the UAS has left the airspace and they are confident it will not return. Suspending air operations could decrease the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations, allowing wildfires to grow larger, and in some cases, unduly threaten lives, property, and valuable natural and cultural resources. Suspended air operations can also delay transportation of firefighters to different locations and add to wildfire suppression costs.

“It may be hard for individuals and organizations who aren’t familiar with wildfire suppression operations to understand why it’s so dangerous for them to fly a UAS over or near the Medio Fire,” said Incident Commander Carl Schwope.  “Firefighting aircraft typically fly in smoky, windy, and turbulent conditions. Safety depends on knowing what other aircraft are operating in the airspace and where they are at all times and this is compromised by the presence of unauthorized aircraft, including UAS.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the Medio Fire area. Information about this TFR and others are available online at http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html. The TFR requires aircraft, manned or unmanned, that are not involved in wildfire suppression operations to obtain permission to enter specified airspace. The FAA and the U.S. Forest Service consider all UAS, including those flown by members of the public for hobby or recreation purposes, to be aircraft and therefore subject to TFRs.

Individuals and organizations who fly UAS without authorization over or near wildfires may be violating federal, state, and/or local laws, regulations, and ordinances, whether a TFR is in place or not. All unauthorized UAS flights over or near wildfires will be reported to the FAA and law enforcement agencies. Individuals who have been determined to have endangered manned aircraft or people on the ground with a UAS and/or interfered with wildfire suppression may be subject to civil penalties, including fines of up to $27,500.00 and potentially criminal prosecution. 

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7031/     Santa Fe National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/santafe/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/       New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/author/sfnfpao/