Single Publication

 Bear Trap Fire – May 6th UPDATE
Magdalena Ranger District - San Mateo Mountain

Incident Command: New Mexico - Albuquerque Type 3 Team

Reported start date / time: May 1, 2022 - 1200

Cause: Undetermined

Size: 3,237 acres

Location: Bear Trap Canyon, San Mateo Mountains, Magdalena Ranger District, Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs). Socorro County, NM. See Map Attached

Containment: 0%

Fuels: Pine, Pinyon-Juniper and Grass

Fire behavior: The Bear Trap Fire is exhibiting moderate fire behavior with isolated torching

Weather: Temperatures today will be in the mid-80s with humidity at 7%, sunny and drought conditions. Northwest winds are 7-12 mph with gusts 20-25. Tonight forecast: Clear skies with a low around 49, West winds 5-15 mph. Red Flag Warning in effect May 7th from 11 am until 10 pm due to strong winds, low humidity, near record warmth and a very unstable atmosphere. https://www.weather.gov/

Resources on scene: Firefighters from the USFS, BLM, BIA, NMF, County, local and private contractors are on scene with 1 Type 3 Engine, 1 Type 4 Engine, 12 Type 6 Engines, 6 Type 2 Handcrew & Type 3 Helicopter, Overhead, Air Tankers, Water Tenders, and Retardant Drops

Strategy: The strategy for the Bear Trap Fire is full suppression

Values at risk: At this time, the fire is not a threat to any communities, and there are no evacuations in effect

Area Closure Order: An Area, Road and Trail Closure is in effect for the Bear Trap Fire per Order 03-0726 on May 3rd at 5:00 pm until Sept 1 or until rescinded, whichever occurs first. 03-0726 Closure Order

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should stay away from Bear Trap Fire operations

Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease

The public is reminded that “If you fly, we can’t!”

Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas of Alamo, Datil, Magdalena, Socorro and San Antonio, NM. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website nmtracking.org. An interactive smoke map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov/, which allows you to zoom into areas to see the latest smoke conditions

All Bear Trap Fire updates will be posted on the Incident Information System (InciWeb) for Bear Trap Fire, Cibola NF & NGs website, New Mexico Fire Information website, and the Cibola NF & NGs Facebook  & Twitter pages

For more information on Bear Trap Fire contact:
Magdalena Ranger District Office: 575-854-2281
Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Supervisor’s Office: 505-346-3900

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