Pine Lodge Fire Final Update July 7, 2019

This will be the last update for the Pine Lodge Fire unless there is a significant change.

Detected: June 19, 2019, approximately 2:00 p.m.

Cause: Unknown, Under Investigation

Containment: 52%

Fuel Type: Grass and Pinon/Juniper, Mixed Conifer

Current Size: Approximately 15,044 Acres

Location: Off Highway 246 between Roswell and Capitan Between Boy Scout Mountain and Seven Cabins Road and up into the Capitan Mountain Wilderness Area.

Fire Update: The Pecos Type-3 Team transferred command of the Pine Lodge Fire back to the Smokey Bear Ranger District on the Lincoln National Forest on July 5. A Type-4 Team is monitoring the fire on a daily basis. The Incident Commander is Matt Spurlock.

The Pine Lodge Fire is 52 percent contained. The containment percentage is likely to remain the same over the next few days or possibly weeks, despite minimal fire activity. This is due mainly to unlined fire perimeter in the Capitan wilderness area. Firefighters continue to mop-up hot spots within the fire’s perimeter and patrol completed fire lines. Unburned pockets of vegetation will continue to burn within the fire’s established perimeter, and smoke may be visible.

Rehabilitation of all fire and dozed lines has been completed. With the rain today and expected tomorrow as well, the portion of the fire still active in the Capitan Wilderness has not been growing.

Weather: A return to hot dry weather Monday through Wednesday and then afternoon thunderstorms are forecasted starting Thursday.

Closures: A forest closure is in place for the Capitan Mountains east of Capitan Gap. Public entry into the area is prohibited. Official closure information and map is posted on the Pine Lodge Fire Inciweb page and Lincoln National Forest website. The closure will remain in place until official’s deem it safe to allow public re-entry.

All other areas within the Smokey Bear Ranger District are open for recreation. Visitors are reminded to always be careful with fire while enjoying our forests.

This will be the last update on this incident. For more information on the Pine Lodge fire please visit:

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6397

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LincolnNF