Black Fire Daily Update – June 3, 2022

Community Meeting Tonight – Friday, June 3, 2022 at 6 PM at the Black Range Lodge in Kingston, NM

Personnel: 759

Fuels: Timber and tall grass                                                                       

Structures Lost: 2

Interactive Evacuation Map: A real-time, interactive evacuation map is now available. Catron and Grant County Sheriff’s Office have downgraded several areas, please check the interactive map for current evacuation status for the Black Fire.  For individual inquiries, please contact your local jurisdiction’s emergency management agencies.

Firefighters will continue to focus on the southeast side of the fire, below Hermosa. Fire growth has been to the east in this area around Las Animas Creek moving into grass. This change in fuel type is allowing firefighters and equipment to go direct building control lines limiting the fires growth. Resource will be scouting for containment features north of Kingston, where access is limited to build indirect lines which will help keep the fire from moving closer to Kingston. With an increase in monsoonal type weather over the next few days, winds could cause interior fuels to flair-up. Aerial resources will be used to patrol and monitor the fire, keeping an eye on areas showing heat and continue supporting firefighter as needed.

There has been no growth on the northern end of the fire. Firefighters will continue to monitor, patrol and extinguish any hotspots along the perimeter of the fire. 

Weather: Isolated showers and thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon, mainly after 2:00 pm. Once again expect the activity to develop to the east of the fire and move eastward away from the incident. The main risk will be outflow winds from the storms. The winds will be gusty out of the southwest this afternoon. Overnight humidity recoveries will be poor, only climbing into the 20 percent range. Temperatures will be in the mid to high 80’s with humidities 8-12%, and winds 12-18 mph.  

Closures: Highway 59 is closed from Mud Hole to the 59/150 intersection. Forest Road 150 is also closed at the North Star Helispot. I-25 and other state highways remain open. A portion of the Gila National Forest affected by the fire has been closed.

Aviation Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the Black Fire restricts non-fire aircraft. This includes civilian drones. Unauthorized aircraft in the area can ground firefighting aircraft, hinder firefighting efforts, and can also result in criminal charges for the offender.

Fire Restrictions: Know Before You Go! The public can obtain current state and federal fire restriction information across New Mexico at NM Fire Info | Fire Restrictions  or at NM Forestry Division state-wide fire restrictions: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/find-current-fire-restrictions/

More Information:

• InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8103/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GilaNForest
• New Mexico Fire information: https://nmfireinfo.com/                          
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/gilanforest
• New Mexico Road Information: www.nmroads.com/
• Smoke Outlook Report:  https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/dde9ec52
• Sierra County: https://www.sierraco.org/department/emergency-management/
• Catron County: https://www.catroncounty.us/departments/fire_chief/
• Grant County: https://grantcountynm.gov/departments/emergency-management/
• Firewise: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/fire-prevention-programs/firewise-usa/