Bear Fire Update – Gila National Forest

June 11, 2026 by rscavo 0 Comments

Bear Fire Now Under Command of Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team

Acres: ~150
Start Date: June 9, 2026
Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NM
Personnel: 132
Containment: 0%
Cause: Under investigation

Summary: Firefighters continued direct extinguishment strategy on the Bear Fire in Catron County Wednesday and overnight. Air resources joined handcrews and engine crews in working each flank of the fire, which was estimated at 150 acres in size yesterday. The fire is burning in dense Ponderosa Pine and mixed conifer, with a heavy dead and down component in steep terrain.

This morning, the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team took command of the fire. Under the leadership of Marcus Cornwell, the team is applying local knowledge and national resources to strategically stop the fire’s forward progress and protect private land, infrastructure and a critical communication site on Mangas Mountain.

The work to construct containment lines will continue today on both flanks of the fire with the help from helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Crews will also continue prep work on Mangas Mountain Road to protect the lookout tower, powerlines, and communications infrastructure.

Resources currently assigned to the Bear Fire include seven aircraft, 3 Interagency Hotshot Crews, 1 handcrew, six engines, and heavy equipment. More resources are on order and expected to arrive today.

Weather: Forecasted temperatures are expected to reach 81 degrees, and relative humidity will dip to 8%. Winds will be 8-10 m.p.h. with gusts to 17 m.p.h. There is no chance of precipitation or lightning Thursday. Friday’s high will be similar, and the weekend brings chances of rain.

Safety: A 24-hour Temporary Flight Restriction takes effect today. A dip site at Quemado Lake is also in place. Members of the public should avoid all areas where firefighting operations are occurring. No evacuations are in place.

Smoke: For real-time smoke conditions, visit https://fire.airnow.gov.

Fire Restrictions: The Gila National Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions due to long term severe drought in the Gila region, increased tree mortality across the forest, and forecasted hotter, drier weather conditions. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions limit campfires on forest land to designated recreation sites and campgrounds with constructed metal fire rings. Open burning is also prohibited in the unincorporated area of Catron County and in Catron County Fire District 30.