Single Publication

Wilderness Ranger District to assume command of the Ridge Fire

Daily Update – Thursday, July 18, 2024

Acres: 4,123                                                                             

Start Date: 7/4/2024

Location: 19 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                 

Personnel: 252

Containment: 23%                                                                   

Fuels: Timber, grass, understory

Highlights: At 6:00 PM on Thursday, July 18, the Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team 4 will transfer command of the Ridge Fire to Incident Commander Victor Alcorta from the Wilderness Ranger District. Team 4 extends its sincere thanks to the local communities for their support, gratitude, and hospitality throughout this incident. Due to successful firefighting efforts, the Ridge Fire is now 23% contained, and resources are either demobilizing to return to their home units or reassigning to assist other wildfires.

Future Fire Information: The Ridge Fire Information phone number and email address will no longer be active after 6:00 PM this evening. For future updates, please contact the Gila National Forest Public Affairs Officer, Maribeth Pecotte, at maribeth.pecotte@usda.gov, 575-388-8211, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM.

Operations: The Ridge Fire activity remains mild, and monsoonal activity is expected to continue through the weekend. The fireline near Gilita Creek on the north side is holding steady. Yesterday, aerial flights detected a portion of the fire that moved into Cooper Creek, as well as slow movement toward the southeast on the rim above Iron Creek. Crews maintained control of the north side of Iron Creek as the fire moved south into Cooper Canyon. All observed fire activity remains low, producing favorable effects as it slowly creeps through leaf litter along the forest floor. Minimal movement is expected due to increased humidity and precipitation. Disturbed areas are receiving woodchips produced from vegetation removal along the roads leading into the Willow Creek community, a strategy used to reduce erosion and repair the land following suppression activities. Road grading resumes tomorrow on Forest Road 159 to maintain safe conditions for firefighters and community members. 

Weather: Showers and thunderstorms are expected to become widespread over the area during the afternoon and evening today as monsoonal moisture increases. Rain may be heavy at times, which could result in localized flash flooding. Gusty and erratic winds in the vicinity of thunderstorms are also possible. Temperatures will be cooler with increased humidity levels due to greater moisture and the expected showers.

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