Gila National Forest: Johnson Fire Update, May 21, 2021 – Wilderness RD

Location: Johnson Canyon,west of McKenna Park.  11 miles west of Gila Cliff Dwellings, Wilderness Ranger District, Catron County, NM

Start Date:  May 20, 2021                Size:  ~250 acres                   Cause:  Lightning

Vegetation:  open ponderosa pine

Resources:  one Interagency Hotshot Crew, one ten-person handcrew and one Type three and one Type one helicopter. A 10-person fire use module is on order and will be arriving Saturday.

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

Objectives: Provide for public and firefighter safety and allow fire to play its natural roll on the landscape.

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.