An updated closure order has been issued to expand the restricted area where the Bighorn Fire is burning. Please see the Closures tab for the official closure order and map.  

Please see the Related Information tab below for the links to the official closure map and closure order PDF documents.

Please see the Related Information tab below for the links to the official closure map and closure order PDF documents.

Order Number: # 03-05-05-20-017

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. FOREST SERVICE CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST

SANTA CATALINA RANGER DISTRICT

AREA CLOSURE

PROHIBITIONS

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) and (b), the following acts are prohibited on 

the road and within the area described in this Order (the “Restricted Area”) and as depicted on the 

attached map, hereby incorporated into this Order as Exhibit A, within the Santa Catalina Ranger 

District, Coronado National Forest, Pima County, Arizona.

1.   Going into or being upon the restricted area for the protection of public health and safety.

36 C.F.R. § 261.53(e).

2.   Being on a trail.  36 C.F.R. § 261.55(a).

EXEMPTIONS

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:

1.   Persons with a written Forest Service authorization specifically exempting them from the 

effect of this Order.

2.   Any Federal, State, or Local Officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting 

resource in the performance of an official duty.

RESTRICTED AREA

The Restricted Area is within Township 11S , Range 14E, All or portions of Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 

8, 32, 33, and 34 specifically all lands within the Catalina State Park Boundary as depicted in 

Exhibit A of this Order.

The Catalina State Park Restricted Area includes all lands within the park boundary roughly within 

the following description:

From the junction of AZ 77 and Catalina State Park Road west to the Forest boundary.  Follow the 

Forest boundary north and east to the northwest corner marker of T11S R14 E section 26, Then west 

along the section lines to the southwest corner marker of section 28, then north to the

point where AZ 77 crosses the western section line of Section 21.  Then south along AZ 77 to the

junction of Catalina State Park Road.

The Restricted Area also includes the entire length of the following National Forest System Trails:

Romero Trail (FT 8), Pima Canyon Trail (FT 62), Finger Rock Trail (FT 42), Linda Vista (FT

49) Pontatoc Trail (FT 410), Pontatoc Ridge Trail (FT 411)

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Order is to close the area and trails for the protection of public health and

safety during fire suppression operations.

IMPLEMENTATION

1.   This Order will be effective on June 8, 2020 at midnight, and shall remain in effect until the 

Incident Command Post is demobilized, or until rescinded, whichever occurs first.

2.   A map identifying the Restricted Area is attached and made part of this Order as Exhibit A.

3.   Any violation of this prohibition is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more 

than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, or by imprisonment for not more than six 

(6) months, or both (see 16 U.S.C. § 551, 18 U.S.C. § 3571(b)(6), 18 U.S.C. § 3581 (b)(7)).

4.   Further information regarding this Order may be obtained at the Santa Catalina Ranger District 

located in Tucson, Arizona, telephone number 520-749-7703, and at the Coronado National Forest 

Supervisor’s Office in Tucson, Arizona, telephone number 520-388-8300.

5.   This Order supersedes any previous Orders prohibiting the same acts covered by this Order.

Done at Tucson, Arizona, this 7th  day of June, 2020.

KERWIN S. DEWBERRY

Forest Supervisor

Coronado National Forest

Current closures:

Good Fire

Location: in Blood Good Canyon, Wilderness Ranger District, Gila National Forest

Start Date:  June 6, 2020               Size:  ~ 800 acres                              Cause: Lightning

Vegetation:  Pinyon Juniper

Resources:  eight smokejumpers, one 20-person Interagency Hotshot Crew, and a seven-person Wilderness District crew.

Turkey Fire

Location:  northeast of Brushy Mountain, Wilderness RD, Gila National Forest

Start Date: June 6, 2020                Size:  ~550 acres                               Cause:  Lightning

Vegetation:  Pinyon Juniper

Resources:   two 20-person Interagency Hotshot Crews

Strategy: 

Good Fire strategy -The fire management organization is using direct and indirect tactics along trail # 160 and 161 to box in along the Little Creek drainage. The strategy is to use the trail system and natural barriers to limit spread which is part of the confine/containment.  Inciweb information:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6739/.

Turkey Fire strategy – The fire was a bit more active and had some growth due to being in a higher elevation. There has been success in protection spread to the south for protection of Little Creek.  Objectives include keeping the fire south of Little Creek and east of Turkey Creek Trail. Inciweb information:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6740/.

Values on these fires include public and wildland fire safety, the NM Hwy 15 corridor, private inholdings and associated infrastructure, the cultural and tourism aspect of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, the natural values of wilderness, wildlife habitat including the Gila trout, and to minimize the footprint and to have low intensity fire on the landscape.

Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evenings, smoke can pool back down in canyons, drainages, and basins.  Overnight smoke from the Tadpole Fire has settled in the Mimbres Valley. For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com.  

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Good Fire

Location: in Blood Good Canyon, Wilderness Ranger District, Gila National Forest

Start Date:  June 6, 2020       Size:  ~ 630 acres                  Cause: Lightning

Vegetation:  Pinyon Juniper

Resources:  eight smokejumpers

Turkey Fire

Location:  northeast of Brushy Mountain, Wilderness RD, Gila National Forest

Start Date: June 6, 2020        Size:  ~500 acres                   Cause:  Lightning

Vegetation:  Pinyon Juniper

Resources:   Lewis and Clark IHC

Strategy: 

Good Fire strategy includes direct and indirect line construction, hot spotting and cold trailing to minimize growth on the eastern flank of the fire. On the southern and western flanks fire will naturally move into drainages and continue to be a confine and containment strategy. Inciweb information:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6739/.

Turkey Fire strategy includes direct and indirect line construction, hot spotting, and cold trailing to minimize perimeter growth and the focus is to keep the fire south of Little Creek. Inciweb information:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6740/.

Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evenings, smoke can pool back down in canyons, drainages, and basins.  Overnight smoke has settled in the Mimbres Valley. For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Turkey Fire

Location:  northeast of Brushy Mountain, Wilderness RD

Start Date: June 6, 2020        Size:  ~27 acres                     Cause:  Lightning

Vegetation:  Pinyon Juniper

Resources:   eight smokejumpers and two helitack crew

Good Fire

Location: in Blood Good Canyon, Wilderness Ranger District, Catron County, NM

Start Date:  June 6, 2020       Size:  ~ 35 acres                    Cause: Lightning

Vegetation:  Pinyon Juniper

Summary:  The Turkey Fire and the Good Fire are burning on National Forest System Lands, on the Wilderness Ranger District, Gila National Forest.  The Good Fire is in steep, rugged and rocky terrain in the canyon and currently cannot be staffed due to safety concerns for the wildland firefighters. Objectives for both fires are to protect public and wildland firefighter safety. The strategy is full suppression, with confine and containment.

Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evenings, smoke can pool back down in canyons, drainages, and basins.  Overnight smoke has settled in the Mimbres Valley. For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Location: 1-1/2 miles southwest of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument                                          

Start Date:  June 28, 2020                             Cause:  Lightning              Size:  ~17,915 acres

Vegetation:   Timber, Tall Grass, Brush                                                    Containment: 60%

Strategy/Summary: This lightning-caused fire is burning on National Forest System lands in the Gila Wilderness. There has been little progression on this fire. This is the final update on the fire unless significant changes occur.

Weather: Wind will remain about 10-15 mph with a possibility of increased moisture east of the Continental Divide. Storm chances will decrease by midweek and predicted weather will be very hot and dry. Temperatures are predicted to reach nearly 10 degrees above normal by Friday. 

Smoke: Smoke from the fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evenings, smoke can pool back down in canyons, drainages, and basins.  For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com.

 Inciweb information:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6739/.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

 Good Fire Update for July 4, 2020 

Weather: Warm and dry conditions are predicted for the fire area. Minimum relative humidity will be in the teens along and west of the river while 20s are expected east on Saturday. Relative humidity will fall into the teen’s area wide for the lowlands Sunday. Winds will be generally in the 5-15 mph range.

Location: 1 1/2 miles Southwest of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument                                   
Start Date:  June 28, 2020                     Cause:  Lightning         
Size:  ~17,200 acres
Vegetation:   Timber, Tall Grass, Brush
Containment: 53%

Weather: Fire weather conditions should begin transitioning to a more humid, and rainy period. A sub-tropical high over central Mexico will slowly drift north over the next week-over New Mexico and