Bear Trap Fire – May 2nd Evening UPDATE

Magdalena Ranger District – San Mateo Mountains

Incident Command: At 0600 on Tues. 5/3/2022, New Mexico Albuquerque Type 3 Team will assume command of the Bear Trap Fire.

Reported start date / time: May 1, 2022 – 1200

Cause: Unknown        

Size: 1,209 acres

Location: Bear Trap Canyon, San Mateo Mountains, Magdalena Ranger District, Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs).

Containment: 0%

Fuels: Pine, Pinyon-Juniper and Grass.

Fire behavior: The Bear Trap Fire is exhibiting moderate fire behavior with isolated torching.

Weather: Current conditions: Temperatures in the mid-80s with humidity at 7%, fair skies and drought conditions. West winds are 12-20 mph. Tonight forecast: Clear skies with a low around 47, West wind 10-15 mph becoming southwest after midnight. https://www.weather.gov/.

Resources on scene: Firefighters from the Cibola National Forest, BLM, are on scene with 6 Type 6 Engines, 3 Type 2 Handcrew, 1 Type 2 Module, Type 2 & Type 3 Helicopters, Overhead, Air Tankers, Water Tenders, and Retardant Drops.

Strategy: The strategy for the Bear Trap Fire is full suppression.

Values at risk: At this time, the fire is not a threat to any communities, and there are no evacuations in effect.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should stay away from Bear Trap Fire operations.

Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease.
The public is reminded that “If you fly, we can’t!”

Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Alamo, Datil and Magdalena. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website nmtracking.org.

All fire updates will be posted on the Incident Information System (InciWeb), Cibola NF & NGs website, New Mexico Fire Information website, and the Cibola NF & NGs Facebook  & Twitter pages.

For more information on Bear Trap Fire contact:

Magdalena Ranger District Office: 575-854-2281

Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Supervisor’s Office: 505-346-3900