Black Fire

The lightning-caused Black Fire is approximately 530 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness, Gila National Forest. This fire is approximately 20 miles northeast of Mimbres near the Black Canyon and in very steep and rugged terrain. This fire is actively burning on all sides with some isolated single tree torching and a 5-10-acre spot fire in the area of Black Canyon.

Little Fire

The lightning-caused Little Fire is approximately 312 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Gila Wilderness, Gila National Forest. This fire is approximately 4.5 miles west of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. This fire has black-lined itself and crossed the area of Little Creek and there is no visible smoke in the area. There are a few logs and a snag burning on the northwest side.

South Fire

The lightning-caused South Fire is approximately 780 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness, Gila National Forest. This fire is approximately 30 miles north of Mimbres. The South fire is predominately moving north; with an active perimeter. The vegetation on this fire is ponderosa pine, some mixed conifer; lots of heavy fuel (dead/down) on the ground.

Woodrow Fire

The lightning-caused Woodrow Fire is approximately 380 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Gila Wilderness, Gila National Forest. This fire is south of Mogollon Creek and south of Trail Canyon in T12S R16W section 31.

Summary: Helicopter reconnaissance shows that these naturally-ignited fires are doing good things for the land. All these fires will continue in a monitor status using lookouts and aerial reconnaissance. These fires are all exhibiting low to moderate effects, cleaning up dead and down trees, and debris from previous fires, and reducing ladder and surface fuels. There are only a few incidents of single tree torching and very few spot fires. These fires continue to help attain better forest health, improve habitat for wildlife and will improve the watershed since rainfall will be better able to reach the forest floor.

Smoke from fire rises during the daytime, but in the evening can pool 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 and on Inciweb.

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: 4-1/2 miles west of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Wilderness Ranger District

Start Date: June 29, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: Ponderosa pine, needle cast, and grass

Resources:

Size: ~8 acres

Containment: 0%

Incident Commander: W. Oglesby, ICT4

Summary: The Little Fire, is burning on National Forest System Lands on the Wilderness Ranger District, Gila National Forest, Catron County, New Mexico. This fire is burning in a draw and moving in a northwest and northeast direction. The strategy for this fire is to monitor.

Smoke is visible from the Gila Visitor Center. Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basis. 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 http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GilaNForest/ or follow us on Twitter @GilaNForest.

Location: 12 miles south of Winston, NM, Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest

Start Date: June 29, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: pinyon juniper mixed with grasses

Resources: two Type 2 Initial Attack (IA) crews, four Hot Shot crews, two FS engines, seven smokejumpers

Size: ~445 acres

Containment: 40%

Incident Commander: Matt Britt, ICT3, Colten Moor, ICT3(t)

Summary: The Wagonbed Fire, is burning on National Forest System Lands on the Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest, Sierra County, New Mexico. The strategy for this fire is full suppression. Mapping of the fire line has given a more accurate accounting of the acreage. Today’s operations include continuing to secure the perimeter. Fire managers are starting to release resources and will transition to a Type 4 organization over the next two-three days.

Smoke is visible from the town of Winston, Hermosa, and Truth or Consequences, NM. Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basis. 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 and Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6406/.

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: 12 miles south of Winston, NM, Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest

Start Date: June 29, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: pinyon juniper mixed with grasses

Resources: two Type 2 Initial Attack (IA) crews, four Hot Shot crews, two FS engines, seven smokejumpers

Size: ~445 acres

Containment: 80%

Incident Commander: Matt Britt, ICT3, Colten Moor, ICT3(t)

Summary: The Wagonbed Fire, is burning on National Forest System Lands on the Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest, Sierra County, New Mexico. The strategy for this fire is full suppression. Mapping of the fire line has given a more accurate accounting of the acreage. Today’s operations include continuing to secure the perimeter. Over the next 3-4 days fire managers will start to release resources and transition to a Type 3 organization.

Smoke is visible from the town of Winston, Hermosa, and Truth or Consequences, NM. Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basis. 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 and Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6406/.

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: 12 miles south of Winston, NM, Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest

Start Date: June 29, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: pinyon juniper mixed with grasses

Resources: two Type 2 Initial Attack (IA) crews, four Hot Shot crews, two FS engines, seven smokejumpers

Size: ~445 acres

Containment: 80%

Incident Commander: Matt Britt, ICT3, Colten Moor, ICT3(t)

Summary: The Wagonbed Fire, is burning on National Forest System Lands on the Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest, Sierra County, New Mexico. The strategy for this fire is full suppression. Mapping of the fire line has given a more accurate accounting of the acreage. Today’s operations include continuing to secure the perimeter. Over the next 3-4 days fire managers will start to release resources and transition to a Type 3 organization.

Smoke is visible from the town of Winston, Hermosa, and Truth or Consequences, NM. Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basis. 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 and Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6406/.

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: 12 miles south of Winston, NM, Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest

Start Date: June 29, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: pinyon juniper mixed with grasses

Resources: two Type 2 Initial Attack (IA) crews, three Hot Shot crews, two FS engines, seven smokejumpers

Size: ~460 acres

Containment: 0%

Incident Commander: Matt Britt, ICT3, Colten Moor, ICT3(t)

Summary: The Wagonbed Fire, is burning on National Forest System Lands on the Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest, Sierra County, New Mexico. The strategy for this fire is full suppression. The fire received rain yesterday afternoon which has reduced fire movement and today’s operations include containing and securing the perimeter.

Smoke is visible from the town of Winston, Hermosa, and Truth or Consequences, NM. Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basis. 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 and Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6406/.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GilaNForest/ or follow us on Twitter @GilaNForest.

Location: north of Hermosa, NM, Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest

Start Date: June 29, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: pinyon juniper mixed with grasses

Resources: Type 2 Initial Attack (IA) crew, one Hot Shot crew, two engines, seven smokejumpers, four helitack crew

Size: ~322 acres

Containment: 0%

Incident Commander: Matt Britt, ICT3, Colten Moor, ICT3(t)

Summary: The Wagon Bed Fire, is burning on National Forest System Lands on the Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest, Sierra County, New Mexico. The strategy for this fire is full suppression.

Smoke is visible from the town of Winston, Hermosa and Truth or Consequences, NM. Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basis. 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 and Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6406/.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GilaNForest/ or follow us on Twitter @GilaNForest.

Location: north of Hermosa, NM, Black Range Ranger District

Start Date: June 29, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: pinyon juniper mixed with grasses

Resources: 50 people

Size: ~155 acres

Containment: 0%

Incident Commander: transitioning to Type 3

Summary: The Wagon Bed Fire, is burning on National Forest System Lands on the Black Range Ranger District, Gila National Forest, Sierra County, New Mexico. The strategy for this fire is to full suppression.

Smoke is visible from the town of Winston, Hermosa and Truth or Consequences, NM. Smoke from fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basis. 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 and Inciweb at .

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GilaNForest/ or follow us on Twitter @GilaNForest.

During prescribed fire operations, an area around the Mount Margaret Trail will be temporarily closed for public and firefighter safety.

Magic Feather Prescribed Burn Could Take Place This Spring

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Firefighters on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Roosevelt National Forest are monitoring conditions to begin prescribed fire operations on the Magic Feather Prescribed Burn this spring to improve forest health. The wildfires of 2020 are a somber reminder of the importance of proactive fuels management and forest restoration.

This burn is located east and southeast of Red Feather Lakes. Burning operations this spring could include two units totaling 1,046 acres, located north of County Road 74E. Work has already taken place in the area to prepare for ignitions, including tree cutting around the perimeter. Aerial operations, including a drone, could be used during implementation.

Appropriate conditions must be met before ignition of prescribed burns can take place. Fire managers are carefully monitoring these conditions, including favorable weather forecast (temperature, wind, precipitation), fuel moisture, smoke dispersal and staffing. Weather is monitored throughout the burn and burning will be halted if conditions fall outside of the required conditions. In ideal conditions, as many as 500 acres could be burned in one day. Currently, snow will need to melt and fine fuels will need to dry some before burning could begin.

Residents and visitors in the area should expect to see smoke when operations are taking place. Temporary closures of the Mount Margaret Trail should be expected. Smoke may also impact those using the Dowdy Lake and West Lake campgrounds and day-use areas.

For those interested in hearing more about this project, a virtual public meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on May 20, 2021, with fire managers providing an overview of the project and time to answer questions.

To get added to the email notification list for when burning begins in this area, please send an email to reghan.cloudman@usda.gov with the subject line “Magic Feather.” Additional information may be found on InciWeb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6403/. Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. More information about smoke impacts is available at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.

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