Single Publication

Fire activity cools as precipitation falls on the Ridge Fire 

Daily Update – Wednesday, July 17, 2024 

Acres: 4,123  

Start Date: 7/4/2024 

Location: 19 miles east of Glenwood, NM   

Personnel: 281 

Containment: 23%  

Fuels: Timber, grass, understory 

Highlights: Fire activity has generally cooled with the precipitation received on the north end of the fire area. Some increased fire activity was observed in Iron Creek on the southeast side as the fire slowly moved downslope into the drainage. Heavier rainfall later this week is expected to further dampen the intensity and spread of the fire.  

Operations: Yesterday, local Resource Advisors received seeds to scatter across those areas disturbed by fire operations, such as supply drop points and camps. Seeding will occur in highest concentrations on steep slopes to prevent future erosion. High cloud coverage, humidity, and slight precipitation on the north end of the fire resulted in limited burning, with minimal fire activity including creeping and smoldering. No helicopter flights occurred due to weather conditions. However, uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) were able to observe an area where the fire moved into Iron Creek east of Cooper Canyon. Firefighter efforts have resulted in increased containment around the Iron Creek area as crews continue to patrol Trail #151. Firelines continue to hold steady in Gilita Canyon along the north side of the fire. Chipping operations continue along the road into the Willow Canyon community to create a strong defense against any potential wildfire spread. This process involves breaking down large vegetation and other combustible materials into small wood chips to prevent the spread of wildfire. Near the Willow Creek community on the western side of the fire, firefighters completed water bar installation to prevent future erosion in time for predicted heavier rainfall. As work is completed, operational resources are being released to support other wildfires across the region. A Burned Area Emergency Response team has been ordered to assess and strategize restoration and stabilization efforts for burned areas. 

Weather: The coverage of showers and thunderstorms will be even greater today and could produce locally heavy rainfall and gusty and erratic outflow winds. Temperatures may only be slightly cooler and humidity levels slightly greater than Tuesday. Winds will become southerly during the day, with speeds of 8 to 12 mph with higher gusts. 

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Mogollon, Willow Creek, and Snow Lake. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. Smoke monitors are in place at the Glenwood Ranger Station, Cliff, and Gila Cliff Dwellings. 

Closures: The Gila National Forest has issued an emergency temporary closure of trails and trail segments for the Ridge Fire. The purpose of the closure order is for the protection of firefighters and public health and safety during emergency wildfire suppression activities occurring in and around the trails. The full closure order (No. 03-06-05-24-002) and map are available on the Gila National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila.  

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft or drones. Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous for pilots and firefighters and can bring wildfire suppression efforts to a halt. Know before you fly. If you fly, we can’t. More information can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/.  

More Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-ridge-fire /  

575-323-8994 / https://www.facebook.com/GilaNForest / 2024.ridge@firenet.gov