Laguna Fire Daily Update for Wednesday, July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025 by SFNFPAO 0 Comments

Laguna Wildfire Daily Update

Brandon Hess – Incident Commander

July 2, 2025

Acres: 200

Start Date: 6/25/2025

Completion: 0 %

Personnel: 120

Fuels: Oak brush, ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper

Resources: 3 hotshot crews, 1 Type 2 Initial Attack crew, 1 helicopter, 4 engines, 2 water tenders

Highlights: Crews will continue firing operations by hand to secure the fire’s edge. To conduct a firing operation, firefighters cut away vegetation to make a line of bare soil ahead of a fire and then using aerial and hand ignitions burn the vegetation between that line and the actively burning fire front. Aerial ignition will be used to reduce fire intensity and to minimize firefighter exposure to ground hazards. Control lines being utilized include existing roads and natural barriers. The fire behavior is characterized as a low-intensity ground fire. Fuels being consumed include heavy dead and down wood, as well as tussock moth-killed mixed conifers. Tomorrow’s operations will remain the same. It is estimated that the fire will be approximately 10 percent completed by the end of today’s shift.

Weather: Daily showers and thunderstorms will continue through Thursday. Storms will also be capable of gusty and erratic winds. A dry slot will bring much drier conditions on Friday, with little to no convection and relative humidity dropping to near 15 percent along and west of the Rio Grande Valley. Moisture will begin to move back into the area on Sunday and Monday.

Smoke: Firing operations are expected to begin today, and smoke will be visible from surrounding communities this afternoon. Light winds from the east will slowly switch to the southeast this afternoon and will push smoke west and northwest of the fire during the day. Overnight heavy smoke is expected to settle in the Rio Chama River valley, with some smoke settling along the NM State Road 96 corridor between La Jara and Coyote overnight. Motorists are advised to slow down and proceed with caution. To learn more visit Smoke Outlook for Laguna Wildfire.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Please avoid the area while crews manage the Laguna Wildfire. Drones and firefighting aircraft are a dangerous mix and could lead to accidents or slow down wildfire operations. If you fly, we can’t.  

Closures: Closure Order 03-10-01-25-08is in place and includes all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within Township 24N Range 1E Sections 1,2,11,12,13,14,23,24,25,26 and Township 24N Range 2E Sections 4-9 and Sections14-32 and Township 25N Range 1E Sections 25,35,36 and Township 25N Range 2E Sections 30-32 of the New Mexico Principal Meridian within the Coyote Ranger District. The purpose of this Order is to protect the public’s health and safety during firefighting operations for the Laguna Wildfire. See attached map for the closure area.

All communications will be provided in both English and Spanish. Spanish versions are available on the SFNF website and Inciweb.