Pass Fire Update for June 2

Acres: 20,207 acres

Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM

Containment: 0%

Personnel: 160

Start Date: May 18, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Fuels: Timber, Timber litter and grass

Yesterday the operational focus was to burnout the area south of Hwy 59 and west of Beaver Creek, tying it in to the main fire. A helicopter was used for aerial firing. Burnout operations were monitored closely and adjusted as needed to keep fire intensity low. On the ground, firefighters were able to tie the line in to natural features on the bluffs above Beaver Creek. This will keep the fire on the bluff and out of the creek. Today’s focus is to continue firing south of yesterday’s burn to keep fire intensity low and protect identified values at risk.

 Efforts are being made to minimize impacts to private property, critical infrastructure, and cultural resources.

As the Pass Fire moved into the Gila Wilderness a new objective was added by the Gila Las Cruces Team. Within the wilderness, Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST) will be used. The concept of MIST is to use the minimum amount of forces necessary to effectively achieve the fire management protection objectives consistent with land and resource management objectives.

Weather: The weather pattern will be changing over the next few days. A chance of thunderstorms is in the forecast over the fire area through Tuesday.

Aviation Restrictions: ATemporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Pass Fire. All non-fire aircraft are restricted. This includes civilian drones. Unauthorized aircraft in the area will ground firefighting aircraft, hindering firefighting efforts.

Closures: The Gila National Forest remains open.Visitors are encouraged to use extreme caution when driving near the fire area due to the presence of firefighters and equipment and the potential for decreased visibility due to smoke.

Health: With the increase in smoke air quality has decreased in many areas. Please refer to http://www.airnow.gov for smoke conditions and recommendations for your area. Smoke monitors have been placed throughout the fire area.

For More Information:

• Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-pass-fire  Inciweb is the official site for fire information. This site is secure and updated daily.
• New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/
• Air Quality: https://www.airnow.gov