July 12, 2023 
Magdalena Ranger District
Albuquerque, NM – July 12, 2023 UPDATE
Start Date / Time: July 11, 2023 / 1536
Cause: Lightning strike.
Size: 650 acres
Location: Southeast of San Mateo Mts on the Magdalena Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands. The origin of the fire start was on Forest Service land crossing over to adjacent to State and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.
Resources: Multiple resources on scene from US Forest Service (USFS), New Mexico Forestry Division (NMFD), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and air attack.
Fuels: Juniper, grass and brush.
Fire behavior: The Whiskey Hill Fire is exhibiting moderate fire behavior.
Containment: 0%.
Strategy: Full suppression. Crews continue to secure the fire perimeter to mitigate any identified threats to control lines. Air attack providing air tankers for retardant drops.
Values at risk: At this time, the Whiskey Hill Fire is not a threat to any values at risk or 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 avoid the Whiskey Hill Fire area on the Magdalena Ranger District.
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 west from I-25 in between San Antonio and Truth or Consequences, NM within a 50 mile radius of the Whiskey Hill Fire. 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
Weather: Afternoon showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. https://www.weather.gov/
Fire updates will be posted on the Cibola NF & NGs website, New Mexico Fire Information website, and the Cibola NF & NGs Facebook & Twitter pages.
NM Fire Info 
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