Fire update – Lewis Prescribed Fire

The Lewis Prescribed Fire on the Sacramento Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest was postponed after a foot of snow fell in areas across the forest. Instead, fire managers are turning their attention to pile burning and ignitions are underway today on the Jim Lewis debris piles, 11 miles southwest of Weed. Ignitions may continue through the week pending agency administrator approval and conditions that remain within the parameters of the burn plan.

Smoke could be visible from surrounding areas from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft and Weed to Pinion. Smoke may settle into drainages and lower elevations at night, but is expected to dissipate by late morning, as daytime temperatures increase. Motorists are advised to reduce travel speeds and turn lights on if smoke is encountered on travel ways.