New Wildfire Start – Hardy Fire

Magdalena Ranger District – Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands

Reported start date / time: July 14, 2023 / 1337.

Cause: Lightning Strike

Size: 2 acres.

Location: Remote mountainous terrain of Hardy Ridge in the southwest Magdalena Mts. southwest of Italian Peak on the Magdalena Ranger District – New Mexico on the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands.

Responding Resources: USFS Salmon Rappelers from Central Idaho, Lincoln NF Smokey Bear Hot Shots, Wallowa-Whitman NF Engine 653, Magdalena RD Engine 632 and air resources.

Fuels: Timber.

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

Containment: 0%.

Strategy: Suppression.

Values at risk: The Hardy 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 Hardy Fire area of the Magdalena Ranger District to allow fire suppression 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 from NM 107 south of Magdalena, Socorro and San Antonio, NM within a 50 mile radius of the Hardy 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: This Afternoon: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 95. North wind around 5 mph. Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the evening. https://www.weather.gov/

More information will be released as it becomes available.

FS Photo by USFS Salmon Rappelers – Luke Livingston

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