June 22, 2018 
Incident Name – Crooked Creek fire
06/22/2018 Fire Update: The Crooked Creek fire is located in a remote location on the northern portion of the Guadalupe Ranger District in Crooked Canyon. More accurate mapping of the fire during a reconnaissance flight yesterday showed the fire size to be approximately 230 acres. Growth was due to wind and slope alignment on all sides of the fire perimeter. Overall, fire activity continues to be minimal, with creeping, backing and smoldering.
Ground resources, which includes two Hotshot crews and six engine modules, completed indirect fire line construction yesterday and prepared for managed burnout operations today.
Weather dependent, firefighters will conduct managed burnout operations over the next few days, which will include hand and aerial ignition.
Due to the remote location and rough terrain firefighters are implementing tactics that will yield a high probability of success and meet land management objectives while allowing for the safety of firefighters. One of those tactics includes aerial ignition. Aerial ignition will be completed using a Type 3 helicopter assigned to the fire. The helicopter will drop chemical-filled plastic spheres that look like ping-pong balls in strategic locations identified by fire managers. A chemical reaction causes the spheres to ignite vegetation on the ground. By varying the proportions of the chemical mix and the number of spheres dropped, fire managers can control the speed of ignition and the intensity of the managed burnout operations.
Increased smoke may be visible the next few days as crews implement managed burnout operations, securing the indirect fire perimeter. Smoke may be visible through the weekend, but most will dissipate in 1-2 days following managed burnout operations.
Crews will continue to monitor fire activity and growth along with current and predicted weather.
Jurisdiction: Guadalupe Ranger District, Lincoln National Forest
Date/Time Detected: June 15, 2018, 11:16 am
Location: Crooked Canyon
Lat/Long: 32 30.462, -105 1.590
Firefighting Resources: 2 Hotshot crews, 1 Type 3 Helicopter and 6 Engines
Values at Risk: None
Fuel Type: Grass with open Piñon-Juniper
Size: Approximately 230 acres
Cause: Lightning
Regarding smoke, in the event of a prescribed fire or wildfire: If visibility becomes lower because of smoke, please visit the NM Department of Health’s smoke page: https://nmtracking.org/fire
PIO: Jeannette Dreadfulwater, 208-512-9445, jmdreadfulwater@fs.fed.us
NM Fire Info 
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