Indios Fire Update, May 25, 2024

Acres: 2345                                                                 

Start Date: 5/19/2024

Location: 7 miles north of the village of Coyote, N.M.    

Personnel: 195

Containment: 0%                                                         

Fuels: Timber, litter, understory

Resources: 5 crews | 1 helicopter | 5 engines| 1 road grader | 2 masticators | 1 water tender

Highlights: Fire information staff will be posted across the street from Bode’s near the Post Office in Abiquiu on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (May 25-27) from 12-1 p.m. to meet with members of the public and answer questions.

The Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team 4, Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd, will be in-briefed this afternoon to assume command of the fire on Monday, May 27. A CIMT comes with additional resources necessary to plan and manage this fire’s long-term duration to meet the intent of letting fire play its natural role on the landscape.

Fire Activity: Yesterday, on the northeast side where it spotted into the 2017 Ojitos Fire area on Wednesday, the Sacramento and Black Mesa Interagency Hotshot crews worked to get an anchor point established. The crews used helicopters for water drops to cool the fire’s edge and tied the fireline into natural holding features. The Black Mesa crew conducted some strategic firing operations to create blackline, removing fuels from between the fire’s edge and the firelines. These crews will continue firing operations east to west to create a good line south of the fire.

The western edge of the fire from the handline on the northwest perimeter to where crews conducted firing operations along FR 473 Wednesday is holding. The Santa Fe, Mount Taylor, and Carson IHCs continued prepping along FR 437 to FR 64, including conducting strategic firing operations to a checkline. Two masticators continued making progress on lines west of the fire. The Sandia Helitack crew worked on prepping range infrastructure and USFS kiosks south of the fire.  

Weather: A Red Flag Warning is in effect today from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dry weather and strong winds are expected. The high temperature will be around 70 degrees, with minimum humidity around 11-16 percent. Winds will be southwest at 7-16 mph, shifting to west at 18-23 mph in the afternoon with gusts to 40 mph.

Smoke: Smoke is visible and local communities may experience smoke impacts along Highways 96, 112, and 84.

Closures: Closure Order 03-10-01-24-02 is in place and includes all National Forest System lands within the boundary of the Coyote Ranger District starting from the Continental Divide trail #298 at Highway 96 going north across Forest Road (FR) 77, through the Chama River Canyon Wilderness to Skull Bridge (Ojitos Trail head) on FR 151. FR 11 northwest to the Chama River Canyon Wilderness boundary and Junction with FR 8; FR 169 (from junction with FR 11) south to FR 473; FR 473 south to FR 64; FR 64 South to the junction of FR 77; and FR 77 east to the Chama River Canyon Wilderness boundary. FR 77 from the Forest boundary and County Road 418 to the junction of FR 64 and FR 77. The Chama River Canyon Wilderness south of Rio Gallina and south of Rio Chama. Visit Inciweb for the full order and map.

For CDT hikers impacted by this closure, camping and water will be available at the Coyote Ranger Station.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: There is a TFR in place around the fire area.

More Information: 575-323-2290 | 2024.indios@firenet.gov | x.com/SantafeNFfacebook.com/santafeNF | inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmsnf-indios-wildfire