Gila National Forest – Johnson Fire, Wilderness Ranger District

Location: Johnson Canyon,west of McKenna Park, Wilderness Ranger District, Catron County, NM

Start Date:  May 20, 2021                Size:  ~10 acres                     Cause:  Lightning

Vegetation:  open ponderosa pine

Resources:  one Interagency Hotshot Crew, one ten-person handcrew and one Type one helicopter

Summary:   The Johnson Fire is burning on National Forest System lands on the Wilderness Ranger District, Gila National Forest. The strategy for this fire is to confine and contain.

Objectives: Include minimizing the impact of fire on wildland firefighters, public safety and protecting the natural resources. 

Safety:  There are some trails in the vicinity of the fire.  They are Trail #153 (Mogollon Trail), #155 (Turkey Creek) and Trail #158 (Sycamore). If you are unsure and want to verify where you may go within the boundaries of the Gila Wilderness, please call 575-526-2250 (M-F 8:00 – 4:00 p.m.) or 575-519-0103 (any time before 9:00 p.m.)

Smoke/Air Quality:  The New Mexico Department of Health site also known as 5-3-1,  https://nmtracking.org/fire has good information and  guidance on mitigating your smoke exposure.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems are encouraged to take precautionary measures by staying inside during heavy smoke periods and avoiding outdoor activities.  Smoke will visible from NM Highway 15, NM Hwy 35, and US Highway 180.

Fire information can be found on nmfireinfo.com or on Inciweb – https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7493/.  For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website.