September 21, 2023 
Mountainair Range District
Detection Date / Time: September 19, 2023 / 3 pm Cause: Lightning Size: 4.75 acre Containment: 0%
Location: Approximately 12 miles west of the village of Corona and 1 mile north of Gallinas Lookout. The fire is burning within the 2004 Lookout Fire burn scar in the Gallinas Unit of the Mountainair Ranger District.
Strategy: Confine and contain.
Fire managers are managing the Buford Fire using a confine and contain strategy within a pre-determined perimeter as long as conditions allow crews to safely do so. We use predictive services tools and fire behavior models to guide our fire management decisions. The benefit of this strategy will be to reduce hazardous fuels, encourage the growth of native plants, increase species diversity in the understory, restore ecological balance and reduce the potential for future high-severity wildfires.
Crews will continue preparations along Forest Road 102 as well as utilize old bulldozer lines that were established during the 2004 Lookout Fire as part of the containment line, keeping the fire within the identified planning area. Additional use of hand and aerial ignition operations may occur to reduce the potential for rapid fire spread toward containment features.
Wildlife biologists, range specialist and archaeologists are helping to ensure that natural and cultural resources are protected.
Resources On Scene: Type 4 Incident Commander and a Lincoln National Forest Engine. Cibola Engine is available to assist if needed.
Resources Ordered: A Type 3 Incident Management Organization has been ordered and will be in place by Sunday. A Type 3 helicopter will arrive on Saturday to assist with bucket work and/or ignitions if necessary.
Fuels: Heavy to moderate dead and down, Slash, Ponderosa Pine, grass and shrubs.
Values at risk: Communication sites on Gallinas Peak and private land are in the vicinity but the fire is not currently threatening any private property or communication sites. There are no evacuations in effect.
Smoke may be visible from US Highway 42 north of the Gallinas Mountains.
Weather for Central NM: Tonight: Partly cloudy with a 0% chance of showers with a low temperature of 50 degrees predicted. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny with a high temperature of 77 degrees with lighter winds predicted. https://www.weather.gov/
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should stay away from fire 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-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.
An interactive smoke map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov/, which allows you to zoom into areas to see the latest smoke conditions.
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.
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