Pine Lodge Fire Update July 1, 2019

There will be a community meeting, Tuesday, July 2 at 6:30 p.m.
It will be held at the Traylor Gym on the Capitan school grounds. The Pecos Type 3 Incident Management Team will address information updates, operational decisions, and future strategies.

Summary: At 6 a.m. today, command of the Pine Lodge Fire was transferred from the Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team to the Pecos Zone Type 3 Incident Management Team. The Pecos Team will remain on track with the objectives set forth by the Lincoln National Forest and New Mexico State Forestry. Safety of firefighters and the public continues to be of utmost importance.

Fire Activity:  The Pine Lodge Fire topped the crest of the Capitan Mountains and became more visible on the southern side of the mountain. It is burning in the wilderness with minimal fire activity along the rocky south slopes. The majority of the fire activity is burning Copeland Canyon and Peachtree Canyon drainages. There is a large amount of heat along the Seven Cabins Road.

Operations: Crews are beginning suppression repair activities on areas disturbed and/or impacted by suppression actions. There will be repairs on facilities, roadways, and grounds used in all fire suppression activities. Suppression repair activities consist of chipping woody materials, pulling cut materials across disturbed areas, fence repair, range repair and returning the fire area to as much of a natural state as practical. Crews continue to monitor the Seven Cabins Road to ensure the fire does not expand west.

Weather:  A short hot and dry period may cause fire spread through grass, brush and dead/down fuels, which will increase fire activity into early next week. Afternoon cloud development will provide an increased chance of winds, potentially increasing fire behavior until rain returns, later in the week.

Firefighting Resources: Fire personnel and support resources will remain with the Pecos Team to hold and conduct suppression repair.

Closures:  Closures along Highway 246, between Capitan and Roswell, have been lifted.

A forest closure is in place for the Capitan Mountains east of Capitan Gap. Public entry into the area is prohibited. The official closure information and maps are posted on the Pine Lodge Fire Inciweb page.

Road Closures: Road closures on NM State Road 246 from Capitan to Roswell was lifted last night at 6 p.m. For status on road closures, citizens are encouraged to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department at (575)648-2341.

Lincoln National Forest Closure: An area closure is in place for Capitan Mountains east of Capitan Gap Road until further notice. All trail systems and Forest Service roads within the closure area are closed to public use. West Mountain is open for recreation. The official closure information and map is posted on the Pine Lodge Fire InciWeb page.

Pine Lodge FIre Information Line: 575-208-4402

More maps, photos, and more information visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov