Lincoln National Forest- Smokey Bear Ranger District- Lone Mountain Fire Update 5/31/2019

Incident Name – Lone Mountain Fire

Jurisdiction: Lincoln National Forest, Smokey Bear Ranger District

Size: 10 acres

Cause: Lightning

Date/Time Detected: May 26, 2019

Location: 6 miles north of White Oaks, NM. North of Hogback Ridge.

Lat/Long: 33.80809, -105.7386

Legal Description: T6S, R12E, SESW Sec 1

Firefighting Resources: 1 Type-6 Engine

Fuel Type:  Pinon/Juniper, Grass, Ponderosa Pine.

Values at Risk: Private lands to the east

Fire Update: The lightning-caused Lone Mountain Fire is now estimated at 10 acres. Fire behavior remained low due to lower wind speeds of only 8 mph.  The temperature was higher today reaching 79 degrees, however, humidity levels were also higher at 16 percent.

A Wildland Fire Module has been ordered and is expected to arrive later today. A Wildland Fire Module is an independent fire team of 7-10 fire personnel that specialize in fire monitoring, ignition, and suppression. This type of team is ideal for the Lone Mountain Fire because they are specifically geared towards managing fires for specific reasons, in this case reducing the number of pinon-juniper trees in the area.

Currently, smoke impacts are limited; however, smoke may become visible from Carrizozo, White Oaks, and surrounding areas. For more information on air quality and health impacts from smoke, please visit the New Mexico Department of Health website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

Public and firefighter safety is always the number one priority during a wildfire.

Fire Map: LoneMountainPIOFireMap_May 27 2019_NMLNF

Another Lone Mountain Fire update will be posted if there is a significant change to the fire.

Please visit the NM Department of Health’s smoke page for information on protecting your health during fires and on smoky days. https://nmtracking.org/fire.

PIO: Laura Rabon, 575-434-7290 laura.rabon@usda.gov