May 20, 2024 UPDATE: Blue Fires, Lincoln National Forest

Acres:  45 Acres

Start Date:  May 17, 2024

Location:  White Mountain Wilderness Area

Cause:  Lightning

Containment: 0%

Fuels:  Dead and down/dead standing trees

ALAMOGORDO, N.M., May 20, 2024 – Based on aerial observations, the Blue Fire has not shown any growth and remains at .5 acres. The Blue 2 Fire is continuing to spread, at a low-to-moderate rate of speed and is estimated at 45 acres. Smoke may be visible from Ruidoso, Capitan, Carrizozo, Mescalero, and highways in the area.

The remote location and severe terrain make the wildfire unsafe for firefighters to engage directly at this time. Fire managers are determining a safe perimeter for crews to contain the wildfire.

In incidents such as the Blue 2 Fire, where direct attack results in safety risks to responders, alternate strategies must be implemented to contain wildfires and secure values. Considerations when using these strategies include areas with high numbers of dead standing trees, which are extremely dangerous for firefighters, or remote areas where medical response and communications is limited.

The overall tactic for the Blue Fires will be to continue to monitor while allowing it to take its course as much as possible while it burns in the Wilderness Area. Crews will take appropriate actions to keep the fire within the planned and designated boundaries while protecting private land, infrastructure, and natural resources.  The fire is being monitored by air and ground resources to help predict expected fire behavior and rates of spread.

The objective in fire management on a Designated Wilderness Area is to permit the wildfire to play its natural role as much as possible within the wilderness. If it is determined that the wildfire poses a threat to values adjacent to the Wilderness Areas, action will be taken to protect those assets.

Inciweb Page: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmlnf-blue-fire