New Mexico Wildfire Updates - Blue 2, Indios fires
George Ducker
Communications Coordinator
New Mexico State Forestry Division - EMNRD
george.ducker@emnrd.nm.gov
505-699-0601
Wildfire Notification #14
The New Mexico Forestry Division would like to update you on two wildfires that are requiring the attention of federal, state, and local resources in New Mexico. The Blue 2 and Indios fires are burning on public lands and are being managed by Complex Incident Management Teams.
Blue 2 Fire
Highlights: Yesterday experienced moderate weather which assisted firefighters in completing additional containment. The southern end of Soldier Mountain gained more containment line as mop up work continued in the area by fire crews on the ground. Additional containment line was achieved on the fire perimeter west of Granite Knob. Firefighters are working hard to be able to mop up along the fire’s edge to prepare for the forecasted hot and dry weather early next week.
Operations: Yesterday, fire crews continued mopping up and securing lines along the 107 A road and Soldier Mountain. Heavy equipment has been successful in progressing the contingency lines that surround the fire. Structure protection will continually have a presence throughout the surrounding communities on both day and night shifts to ensure that communities are being monitored for any changes to the fire. Mop up and patrol continues across the entire fire perimeter. Pumps, sprinklers, and water sources are being used to support structure protection and mop up efforts. Handline on the eastern forest boundary near Enchanted Forest and Sun Valley continue to progress.
Weather: Yesterday, humidity was high during the day until late afternoon which assisted firefighters to continue working safely around the perimeter. Storm clouds were seen at the eastern edge of the fire area, however the fire did not receive any moisture. During the evening there was a drop in humidity due to southwesterly winds that dried out fine fuels. Today, higher humidity and wind is expected. Storm clouds will be seen during the day around the eastern side of the fire. Even though wind and storm clouds are expected, a major increase in fire behavior is not expected.
Smoke: Smoke production has decreased due to minimal fire activity. Thunderstorms predicted outside of the fire perimeter will produce downflow winds that could move some light smoke into surrounding areas. View an interactive smoke map at fire.airnow.gov/
Closures: The Lincoln National Forest has issued an emergency area closure for the Blue 2 Fire. The closure order (No.03-08-24-0001) and map are available on Inciweb and the Lincoln National Forest website.
Evacuations: Evacuation levels remain unchanged. Evacuation shelters are expected to stay open over the weekend. Effort is continually being made by fire crews to ensure that the fire perimeter is safe before repopulation of the surrounding communities. For an interactive evacuation map go to tinyurl.com/Blue2Evacs
Safety: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft systems or drones. Find the TFR at tfr.faa.gov/tfr_map_ims/html/
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Acres :7,457
Start Date : May 16, 2024
Location : 8 miles North of Ruidoso, White Mountain Wilderness Area
Cause: Lightning
Personnel: 802
Fuels : Timber/Grass/Brush
Containment : 14%
Resources : 17 crews | 32 engines | 8 helicopters | 3 bulldozers | 12 Water Tenders
PIO map of the Blue 2 fire
Evacuation map of the Blue 2 fire
Indios Fire
Highlights: Firefighters successfully applied low intensity fire along Forest Road 77 to prevent fire progression to the south and protect important values, including private property. Fire managers completed a reconnaissance flight over the fire area and observed a mosaic pattern of burned and unburned areas. Large pockets of unburned fuel, referred to as “green islands,” remain within the fire area. Smoke continues to settle in the surrounding communities to the northeast of the fire area.
Operations: Increased cloud cover and higher humidity moderated fire activity yesterday morning. As temperatures increased in the afternoon, crews worked along the northwest edge of the fire to improve and hold the firelines by laying hose and removing snags, while also watching for any spot fires. Crews worked alongside heavy equipment to strengthen and reinforce dozer lines put in place the previous night. In the southwest corner of the fire, crews ignited fuels around the north end of the private property to remove vegetation and create a protective barrier, while others worked to further widen these protection lines. The interior of the fire area burned naturally throughout the day at varying intensities depending on terrain. Multiple aircraft, seven ground crews, and six engines worked together to plan and implement a well-organized burning operation down the Gurule Mesa. Today, crews will continue to reinforce primary and secondary firelines and patrol the perimeter for spot fires. Strategic firing operations conducted by crews on the ground and aircraft will continue across Gurule Mesa to reduce fire intensity and minimize impacts to the watershed.
Weather: Similar temperatures are expected for today, while humidity levels may drop in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation remains at 10%. Winds out of the southwest will move up canyon and likely pick up tomorrow. Warming and drying trends will likely continue over the next week, leading to active fire conditions.
Smoke: Smoke continues to impact surrounding communities. Additional smoke monitors have been installed in Coyote, Gallina, Cañones, and at the Monastery of Christ in the Desert. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautions. A smoke outlook report for the Indios Fire is available online at the links below. View an interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ . Learn more about smoke impacts at…