Firefighters Make Progress on the Bear Fire  Acres: 6,920.4 Start Date: June 9, 2026  Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NM Personnel: 496 Containment: 11% Cause: Lightning  Summary: Firefighters increased containment on the Bear Fire yesterday. Fair weather contributed to their progress toward full suppression.  Crews used a variety of tools and tactics to minimize the footprint of the Bear Fire and protect values at risk yesterday. Firefighters constructed handline to protect private land on the fire’s eastern flank. They also employed heavy equipment to bolster protection for Mangas Mountain […]

Moderated Weather Conditions Help Firefighters on Bear Fire  Acres: 6,654 Start Date: June 9, 2026  Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NM Personnel: 471 Containment: 3% Cause: Lightning  Summary: Favorable weather conditions and hard work by firefighters increased containment to 3% on the Bear Fire with more containment expected today. Work continues to protect values at risk and stop fire progression.  Despite moderated weather conditions the fire behavior remained active on Saturday.  The Bear Fire spread to the southwest yesterday, moving through heavy dead and […]

Slower Fire Growth Aids Firefighters in Making Progress on Bear Fire  Acres: 6,042.6Start Date: June 9, 2026 Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NM Personnel: 352 Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning  Summary: Favorable weather conditions on Friday slowed growth of the Bear Fire on the Gila National Forest. The fire is in an extreme drought-stricken area, where heavy fuel loading, recent tree mortality and steep terrain continue to challenge firefighter safety […]

Critical Fire Weather Increases Growth of Lightning-Caused Bear Fire  Acres: ~3,717Start Date: June 9, 2026   Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NM Personnel: 227 Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning  Summary: Firefighters are working to suppress the Bear Fire on the Gila National Forest, which is estimated at 2,000 acres. The Bear Fire is a full suppression incident utilizing a mix of direct and indirect tactics to contain the fire.  Yesterday, dry weather and wind drove the fire through steep terrain with heavy fuel loads. Growth was predominantly on the east-southeast side […]

Bear Fire Now Under Command of Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team Acres: ~150Start Date: June 9, 2026Location: 18 miles southeast of Quemado, NMPersonnel: 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 […]

Rainfall minimizes fire activity on Hummingbird Fire   Acres: 5,650 Start Date: 4/20/2026 Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 193 Containment: 60% Cause: Lightning  Summary: Today will be the last daily update provided by the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team. The Hummingbird Fire will transition back to the local unit tomorrow. Any future updates for the Hummingbird Fire will come from […]

Hummingbird Fire continues to smolder in the Gila Wilderness  Acres: 5,650Start Date: 4/20/2026Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NMPersonnel: 207 Containment: 35%Cause: Lightning  Summary: Yesterday firefighters were able to complete back hauling equipment used to protect Willow Creek Subdivision. Heavy equipment supported fire crews on Bursum and Bearwallow Road, mulching debris from prep work on the indirect contingency lines. Containment increased yesterday on portions of the Hummingbird […]

Willow Creek Subdivision downgrades to Level 2 “SET” evac status  Acres: 5,650 Start Date: 4/20/2026  Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 219 Containment: 21% Cause: Lightning  Summary: Yesterday evening at 6:00 PM coordination with fire officials, Catron County Sheriff’s Office and Catron County Emergency Management downgraded the community of Willow Creek Subdivision to a Level 2 “SET” evacuation status. Resources back hauled excess fire hose, pumps, portable water tanks, and sprinkler kits used for structure protection. The Hummingbird Fire saw additional containment along the eastern […]

Hummingbird Fire receives precipitation from afternoon thunderstorms  Acres: 5,650 Start Date: 4/20/2026  Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 230 Containment: 17% Cause: Lightning  Summary: Containment increased on the Hummingbird Fire yesterday as firefighters were able to secure holding features along the Willow Creek Trail (151). Isolated thunderstorms moved over the fire area yesterday bringing measurable amounts of precipitation. Fire activity moderated slowing fire growth in the Gila Wilderness; however, pockets of heat remain throughout the Hummingbird Fire footprint. Fire crews made progress […]

Afternoon thunderstorms move over Hummingbird Fire  Acres: 5,650 Start Date: 4/20/2026  Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 241 Containment: 12% Cause: Lightning  Summary: Cooler temperatures and higher humidities moderated fire behavior yesterday. Isolated thunderstorms moved over the fire area; however, no measurable amounts of precipitation fell over the fire throughout the day. The Hummingbird Fire had additional growth on Iron Creek Mesa in the Gila Wilderness burning through the 2024 Ridge Fire scar. Containment increased yesterday as firefighters secured the remaining […]

Containment increases on the Hummingbird Fire  Acres: 5,298 Start Date: 4/20/2026 Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 246 Containment: 7 % Cause: Lightning  Summary: Engine crews working in Willow Creek Subdivision patrolled fire lines through the night keeping watch on the Hummingbird Fire and mopping up spot fires that occurred during previous shifts. Firefighters on the northwestern perimeter held containment lines along the Willow Creek ridgeline after defensive firing operations were completed. Aircraft flew several missions yesterday supporting ground crews with retardant drops, reinforcing holding features […]

Hummingbird Fire grows to over 4,000 acres  Acres: 4,364 Start Date: 4/20/2026  Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 244 Containment: 0 % Cause: Lightning  Summary: The Hummingbird fire burned active today in the Gila Wilderness and grew to the east on Iron Mesa and in Iron Creek moving through dense snag patches and heavy accumulations of dead and down fuels. Yesterday engine crews assigned to structure protection in the Willow Creek Subdivision worked to strengthen containment lines, using hose lays to mop […]

Breezy and Dry Conditions forecasted for Hummingbird Fire  Acres: 3,882 Start Date: 4/20/2026 Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 208 Containment: 0 %Cause: Lightning  Summary: The Hummingbird fire remained active overnight after a day of breezy and dry conditions. Additional growth was seen across the fire in Iron Creek and above the south fork of Willow Creek. Firefighters in Willow Creek Subdivision stayed vigilant overnight providing structure protection and secured spot […]

Lighter winds allow aircraft to support Firefighters Acres: 3,264 |Start Date: 4/20/2026 Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 204 Containment: 0 % Cause: Lightning  Summary: Overnight firefighters conducted defensive firing operations along the western perimeter in the Gila Wilderness to establish containment lines and keep the fire away from Willow Creek Subdivision. Fire crews worked through the […]

Another day of Red Flag conditions ground aircraft on Hummingbird Fire  Acres: 2673 Start Date: 4/20/2026  Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 197 Containment: 0 % Cause: Lightning  Summary: The Hummingbird Fire saw additional growth in the Gila Wilderness moving northeast across Iron Creek Mesa and west into Iron Creek. Wind gusts up to 35 MPH were a major safety concern throughout the day. Air tankers and helicopters were unable to support ground crews yesterday due to high winds and unsafe aerial […]

Hummingbird Fire activity prompts GO Evacuations for Willow Creek Subdivision   Acres: 2018 Start Date: 4/20/2026  Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 174 Containment: 0 % Cause: Lightning  Summary: Firefighters focused efforts on protecting critical values at risk in the Willow Creek Subdivision. Red Flag conditions coupled with active fire behavior caused spot fires to cross established control features on the northern perimeter of the Hummingbird fire. This prompted a “GO” evacuation for the Willow Creek […]

Near Critical Fire Weather Conditions Challenge Firefighters  Acres: 221 Start Date: 04/20/2026 Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 165Containment: 0 % Cause: Lightning  Summary: Fire activity increased with active wind driven runs and short-range spotting up to a half mile on the Hummingbird fire yesterday. The fire remains in steep, rocky, and rugged terrain of the Gila Wilderness. The fire spread to the Northeast through snag patches and dense fuels left behind […]

Gila Las Cruces Type 3 IMT Assumes Command of Hummingbird Fire  Acres: 25Start Date: 4/20/2026 Location: 15 Miles East of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 164 Containment: 0 %Cause: Lightning  Summary: The lightning caused Hummingbird Fire is burning in the Gila Wilderness through dense patches of brush, dead and down fuels, and standing dead trees (snags) left behind from Whitewater-Baldy fire in 2012. After an aggressive initial attack by ground resources, 2 large airtankers and a Type 1 helicopter, the fire […]

Press Release – Wednesday, July 9, 2025 Final Update for Panther and Trout Fires  Panther Fire: Acres: 80 Start Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 Location: 10 miles west of Lake Roberts Personnel: 61 Containment: 71% Cause: Lightning  Trout Fire: Acres: 47,294 Start Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025 Location: 12 miles north of Silver City, NM Personnel: 125 Containment: 96% Cause: Lightning  Summary: […]

Press Release – Tuesday, July 8, 2025 Progress Continues on Panther and Trout Fires  Panther Fire: Acres: 80 Start Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 Location: 10 miles west of Lake Roberts Personnel: 61 Containment: 32% Cause: Lightning  Trout Fire: Acres: 47,294 Start Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025 Location: 12 miles north of Silver City, NM Personnel: 150 Containment: 96% Cause: Lightning  Summary: […]