Incoming weather tests firefighting efforts

Medio Fire – August 28, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 3,166 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 37%

Total personnel: 260

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

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: Thunderstorms, rain, and gusty outflow winds are expected to move into the area, which may delay backburning operations intended to secure the western perimeter of the Medio Fire.

Operations: Today, crews will focus on eliminating threats along the western flank of the fire by backing the fire slowly into the completed handline. Firefighters will complete burnout operations using both aerial and hand ignitions. Thunderstorms and rain are expected to move into the area today which may delay these operations. Along the Rio Nambe, crews completed backburning which helped stop the northern advance of the fire. The fire is expected to continue moving east into the burn scar from the 2011 Pacheco Fire. Existing containment lines along the southeast perimeter continue to hold. Firefighting efforts along Forest Road 102 have been successful in eliminating the threat of the fire moving across the 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: Expect hot and dry conditions to start the day before a cold front moves into the area in the early afternoon. Showers, thunderstorms and shifting winds will increase through the afternoon with frequent lightning possible.

Closures and Restrictions: Santa Fe County implemented a burn ban that goes into effect today. 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.

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SantaFe. Santa Fe County issued an air quality alert on behalf of the New Mexico Departments of Health and Environment. The Medio Fire is expected to bring smoke into Santa Fe County through Friday morning. Communities that may see impacts include Rio en Medio, the Nambe, Pojoaque, and Tesuque Pueblos and surrounding communities. 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/

Investigation reveals Medio Fire started by lightning

Medio Fire – August 27, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 2,939 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 21%

Total personnel: 263

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

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: After a thorough investigation at the point of origin, fire investigators have determined that the Medio Fire was caused by a lightning strike. After multiple days of challenging work in steep terrain, fire crews have connected crucial handlines around the Medio Fire. 

Operations: Yesterday, the Santa Fe Hotshots focused their work along the Nambe Trail as fire slowly backed toward this northern containment line. Along the western edge, the Silver City Hotshots worked from the north while the Mt. Taylor Hotshots, Smokey Bear Hotshots, and Red River Fire Chasers came in from the south until the crews met along the western flank to create a connected line around the fire. With handline construction complete, firefighters will continue burnout operations using both aerial and hand ignitions over the next several days. The success of these operations has substantially reduced risk to homeowners along Forest Road 102. Although poor weather conditions hampered air operations yesterday, planned aerial ignitions are expected to resume today along the western flank. The Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative will begin to assess damage to powerline infrastructure, which provides electricity to Ski Santa Fe and a communications tower at Tesuque Peak. The fire is expected to continue moving east into the burn scar from the 2011 Pacheco Fire.

Community Meeting: The IMT hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday, with over 300 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: Santa Fe County will implement a burn ban beginning on Friday, August 28. 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.

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SantaFe. Air quality is beginning to improve as out-of-state smoke starts to clear. Smoke from the Medio Fire is likely to be visible from Santa Fe and surrounding communities as well as along the I-25 and US-285 corridors. 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/

Fire crews make progress along southwestern flank

Medio Fire – August 26, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 2,845 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Unknown

Containment: 21%

Total personnel: 254

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

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: Successful burnout operations and handline construction has allowed fire managers to increase containment to 21%. The Santa Fe National Forest implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions today.

Operations: Yesterday, fire crews continued to build containment lines along the southwestern flank. These crews are planning to start burnout operations today to secure this section of the fire perimeter. These burnout operations involve setting fire inside containment lines to consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the containment line. During the cooler evening hours, aviation resources began to ignite ridgetops using aerial ignitions in an effort to secure the western flank. Additional burnout operations may begin today along the northern flank, where the fire continues backing down to the Rio Nambe Trail. Along the eastern edge, fire crews worked to secure powerline poles to prevent further damage to the Jemez Coop Electric infrastructure. The fire is expected to continue moving east into the burn scar from the 2011 Pacheco Fire, where it should eventually burn itself out due to the lack of available fuels in this area.

Community Meeting: The IMT hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday, with over 400 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 Santa Fe National Forest implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions today to reduce the risk for human-caused wildfire under the current dry weather conditions. Under Stage 1 restrictions, fires, campfires, charcoal grills, and coal and wood stoves are allowed only in developed campsites or picnic areas where agency-built fire rings or grills are provided for use. 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.

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is now available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SanteFe. The New Mexico Environment Department is continuing its Air Quality Alert for Santa Fe, Nambe, Pojoaque, and Tesuque Pueblos and surrounding communities due to the smoke from the Medio Fire, as well as wildfires in neighboring states. Smoke from the Medio Fire is likely to be visible from Santa Fe and surrounding communities as well as along the I-25 and US-285 corridors. 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

Medio Fire containment increases to 18%

Medio Fire – August 25, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 2,702 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Unknown

Containment: 18%

Total personnel: 232

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

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: Successful burnout operations and handline construction has allowed fire managers to increase containment to 18%. With support from the National Guard Blackhawk helicopters, the Silver City Hotshots quickly suppressed and contained a small spot fire just outside the northern edge of the fire perimeter.

Operations: Yesterday, fire crews continued to secure and mop up burnout operations along the eastern edge of the fire, increasing containment from 5% to 18%. This eastern flank continues to hold thanks to the success of burnout operations and handlines connecting to the Aspen Spur Trail. With retardant still on the ground, crews took advantage of a key opportunity to connect handline from Forest Road 102 directly to the fire’s southern edge. With these efforts, firefighters made substantial progress in reducing risk along this critical corridor. Crews utilized an existing shaded fuelbreak completed by the Santa Fe National Forest during a 2019 prescribed burn to complete burnout operations.  The Structure Protection Group continues to work with homeowners in Lower Pacheco Canyon and Rio en Medio to set up sprinkler systems, water tanks, and “hose lays” to mitigate risks to these residences. These hose lays consist of joining multiple lengths of hose, connected by pumps and nozzles, to provide an extended water defense around homes and other structures.

Community Meeting: The IMT hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday, with over 500 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: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued a closure order 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.

Smoke: Updated smoke and air quality information is now available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/SanteFe. The New Mexico Environment Department has issued an Air Quality Alert for Santa Fe, Nambe, Pojoaque, and Tesuque Pueblos and surrounding communities due to the smoke from the Medio Fire, as well as wildfires in neighboring states. Smoke from the Medio Fire is likely to be visible from Santa Fe and surrounding communities as well as along the I-25 and US-285 corridors. 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://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=4925ec13d6bd41538157172dcb9462ed

Burnout operations to increase smoke on Medio Fire

Medio Fire – August 24, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: 2,432 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Unknown

Containment: 5%

Total personnel: 187

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

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: The public should expect to see an increase in air traffic, smoke, and fire activity today as a result of planned burnout operations.

Operations: Yesterday, the fire experienced increased activity along the northern edge as it backed downhill towards the Nambe Trail. Air tankers dropped two loads of retardant along the western flank to moderate fire intensity and allow time for crews to complete critical burnouts. Burnout operations along the eastern edge have been successful in removing fuels and reducing risk to tribal trust lands and the Santa Fe ski basin area.

Firefighters are planning to begin burnout operations along the southern, western, and northern edges of the fire today. These planned operations will likely result in increased air traffic, smoke and fire activity in these areas. This strategy is intended to moderate fire intensity as the main fire approaches containment lines. These complex burnouts may require several days to complete. The Structure Protection Group will continue to work with homeowners along the western portion of Forest Road 102 to implement protection measures and mitigate risks to these residences.

Community Meeting: The IMT hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday, with over 500 participants viewing the live video. American Sign Language interpretation and live-captioning services are now being provided. 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. 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 meeting.

Closures: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued a closure order 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.

Smoke: An Air Resource Advisor has joined the incident to help address smoke-related issues, including public health concerns. Smoke from the Medio Fire is likely to be visible from Santa Fe and surrounding communities as well as along the I-25 and US-285 corridors. In addition, multiple fires in Colorado are also blowing smoke into the area. You can view an interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ and 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 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/

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

Medio Fire receives additional resources for structure protection

Medio Fire – August 23, 2020 Daily Update

Acres: Approximately 2,300 acres

Start Date: August 17, 2020

Cause: Unknown

Containment: 5%

Total personnel: 153

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

Fuels: Dry mixed conifer, ponderosa pine

Highlights: The Incident Management Team ordered three additional engines and a Division Supervisor to begin assessing structure protection needs in lower Pacheco Canyon. These firefighters will focus on prepping Forest Road (FR) 102 in anticipation of planned burnout operations. Their objective is to keep the fire from crossing this road, while also developing plans to prevent damage to structures if the fire were to move closer toward these areas.

An interactive map of the Medio Fire is now available to help the public stay informed on fire movement: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=4925ec13d6bd41538157172dcb9462ed. Using the features of this interactive map, users can track the location and spread of the fire in proximity to key landmarks and neighborhoods, as well as view the latest Forest closures.

Community Meeting: The Incident Management Team hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday, with over 500 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. 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 meeting.

Operations: Yesterday firefighters began strategic firing operations down the Viejo Trail to head off the main fire. Crews scouted areas along the west side of the fire and established lines of hose and sprinklers along Nambe Trail. Firefighters completed burnout operations around Aspen Ranch using handline that was constructed during a prescribed burn in 2019. This burnout connected the Pacheco Fire scar south toward FR 102 and established a control line to protect tribal trust lands and the ski basin. The fire received light rain yesterday which moderated fire behavior and afforded the fire managers more time to plan and prepare for their next steps.

Closures: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued a closure order 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.

Smoke: Smoke from the Medio Fire is likely to be visible from Santa Fe and surrounding communities as well as along the I-25 and US-285 corridors. In addition, multiple fires in Colorado are also blowing smoke into the area. You can view an interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ and 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 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/

Join fire managers for an online community meeting tonight at 6:00 PM on the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/.

We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting or you can email us your questions in advance at 2020.medio@firenet.gov

You do not need a Facebook account to view the meeting. If a pop-up box appears when you first navigate to the link, you can use the scroll bar on the right to scroll down to the view and/or click “not now” to minimize the login pop-up. A recording will be posted following the meeting.

 Attached is a PDF of the Medio Fire Area Closure Order from the Santa Fe National Forest.

You can now view the Medio Fire daily operational video on the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/videos/307117983871923