Water Fire Update, April 30th, 11:30 AM

Water Fire Update, April 30th – 11:30 AM

Jurisdiction:  USFS, Gila National Forest

Date/Time detected:  April 28, 2022 at 2:30 PM

Point of Origin Location:  T16S, R11W, NENE Section 10

General location:  3 miles east of the Wilderness Ranger Station and 6 miles north of Mimbres, NM

Cause:  Under investigation

Current size:  765 acres

Containment:  30%

Fuels:  Piñon juniper and grass

Fire Behavior:  Moderate fire behavior with isolated torching and backing

Highlights:  Firefighters will continue to work on constructing firelines, where it is safe to do so. Accessibility is challenging due to limited road access. In general, the terrain is very steep and rocky along the canyon. Low-end gusty winds are expected today. Relative Humidity in the area remains very low and any predicted high winds will likely be strong enough to reach Red Flag criteria.

On April 28^th, when the fire was detected, aerial resources were immediately assigned to the incident and were the primary resource for reconnaissance and suppression tactics. Yesterday’s reconnaissance flight confirmed the success of retardant drops coupled with the fireline that the ground crews constructed along an existing dirt road near the west flank of the fire. These efforts minimized the fire’s spread. The firefighting effort is ongoing and 30% containment has been achieved. Firefighters will continue building and reinforcing firelines where possible. Additional firefighting resources have arrived, while others are still enroute to the incident.

Updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.

Loretta Benavidez, Water Fire PIO, 575-323-1533