Rocky Fire

Incident Start Date: July 8, 2019 Cause: Lightning

Acres: ~85 Containment: 0%

Vegetation: Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, heavy dead/down on the ground

Strategy: Continue to scout Trail #741 and #74 to evaluate the necessity to prep and protect private property at Cooney and Terry Canyon.

Incident Commander: A. James, ICT3

South Fire

Incident Start Date: June 29, 2019 Cause: Lightning

Acres: ~2,330 Containment: 0%

Vegetation: Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, heavy dead/down on the ground

Strategy: Monitor via lookouts and aerial reconnaissance

Incident Commander: A. James, ICT3

Summary: Helicopter reconnaissance shows that these naturally-ignited fires are doing good things for the land. They are exhibiting low to moderate fire behavior. These fires will enhance the land’s ability to support the natural role of fire. The fire management officers will continue to look at management opportunities to direct the fire around values we want to protect.

Smoke from fire rises during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basins. For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Smoke monitors are set up at the Gila Center, in Winston and Mimbres. Live tracking can be found at https://app.airsis.com/USFS/UnitMap for smoke monitor units USFS1054, USFS1035, and USFS1036. Fire information can be found at NM Fire Info and Inciweb.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

The Leamington Pass wildfire, burning one mile north of Leamington Pass, is currently 250 acres and 30 percent contained. Crews are making good progress this morning. A Red Flag Warning is in effect in the area of the fire, due to dry thunderstorms and gusty winds.

Resources assigned to the fire include two hotshot crews, three engines and one helicopter. There are no closures in effect and no structures are threatened.

Rocky Fire

The lightning-caused Rocky Fire remains at 640 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness. This fire is demonstrating low fire behavior with some growth to the north and west and remains east of Forest Road 150.

South Fire

The lightning-caused South Fire remains at 3,060 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness. It received some precipitation on Sunday and today, which decreased fire activity.

Woodrow Fire

The lightning-caused Woodrow Fire is 1,090 acres and 100% contained, on National Forest System lands in the Gila Wilderness.

Summary: Reconnaissance shows that these naturally-ignited fires are doing good things for the land. They are exhibiting low fire behavior. These fires will enhance the land’s ability to support the natural role of fire. Continued monsoon moistures are decreased fire spread and fire activity.

Smoke from fire rises during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basins. For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Smoke monitors are set up at the Gila Center, in Winston and Mimbres. Live tracking can be found at https://app.airsis.com/USFS/UnitMap for smoke monitor units USFS1054, USFS1035, and USFS1036. Fire information can be found at NM Fire Info and Inciweb.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Black Fire

The lightning-caused Black Fire is approximately 530 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness, Gila National Forest. This fire is approximately 20 miles northeast of Mimbres near the Black Canyon and in very steep and rugged terrain. This fire is actively burning on all sides with some isolated single tree torching and a 5-10-acre spot fire in the area of Black Canyon.

Little Fire

The lightning-caused Little Fire is approximately 312 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Gila Wilderness, Gila National Forest. This fire is approximately 4.5 miles west of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. This fire has black-lined itself and crossed the area of Little Creek and there is no visible smoke in the area. There are a few logs and a snag burning on the northwest side.

South Fire

The lightning-caused South Fire is approximately 780 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness, Gila National Forest. This fire is approximately 30 miles north of Mimbres. The South fire is predominately moving north; with an active perimeter. The vegetation on this fire is ponderosa pine, some mixed conifer; lots of heavy fuel (dead/down) on the ground.

Woodrow Fire

The lightning-caused Woodrow Fire is approximately 380 acres, burning on National Forest System lands in the Gila Wilderness, Gila National Forest. This fire is south of Mogollon Creek and south of Trail Canyon in T12S R16W section 31.

Summary: Helicopter reconnaissance shows that these naturally-ignited fires are doing good things for the land. All these fires will continue in a monitor status using lookouts and aerial reconnaissance. These fires are all exhibiting low to moderate effects, cleaning up dead and down trees, and debris from previous fires, and reducing ladder and surface fuels. There are only a few incidents of single tree torching and very few spot fires. These fires continue to help attain better forest health, improve habitat for wildlife and will improve the watershed since rainfall will be better able to reach the forest floor.

Smoke from fire rises during the daytime, but in the evening can pool down in canyons, drainages, and basins. For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com and on Inciweb.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Final Miller Fire Update July 11, 2019

Southwest Area Incident Management Team (IMT) 4 was ordered by the Coronado National Forest on July 2, 2019 to manage a fire located in the Peloncillo Mountains, in southwestern New Mexico. The lightning-caused fire was reported on June 29th, and the decision was made to bring in the IMT to help with the logistical challenges of managing the incident.

The IMT assumed command of the 4,500 acre fire at 6 am on July 4th. Their objectives were to build control lines around three sides of the fire to prevent further spread while allowing the fire to burn to the south to improve forest health. Firefighters took active structure protection measures around ranches and properties adjacent to the fire.

Resources were assigned to cover initial attack duties on the Douglas Ranger District, and those resources did assist New Mexico State Forestry to suppress a lightning caused fire in the Animas River Valley. While work was being done to achieve objectives, significant rainfall was recorded within the fire area. This resulted in reduced fire activity and necessitated a change in strategy for operations.

The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 will be transitioning the Miller Fire back to the local unit tomorrow morning at 6 am. The local incident commander is working with the IMT to identify resources needed to monitor the fire and respond to any new ignitions. “We are going to work with the incoming incident commander to ensure they are set up for success after our team leaves,” said incident commander Carl Schwope.

Most of the crews will be demobilizing from the incident today. The remaining crews will continue to monitor the fire and be ready to respond with initial attack on any new ignitions. The UAS group will stay with the local resources to provide aerial situational awareness. This will be the last written update from the Southwest Area Incident Management Team.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoronadoNF/
NM Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) The National Interagency Fire Center is building an interagency fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program comprised of agency personnel and private contractors. The use of UAS is one way fire managers are incorporating new technology to support fireline decisions. This allows important information to be gathered quickly without putting firefighters in aircraft. UAS are broke down into 4 types based on their capabilities.A type 1 UAS is the most capable and type 4 is the least complex but the most portable.

Agency personnel generally operate type 3 or type 4 UAS because they can be stored in a backpack and launched from the fireline. These smaller UAS operate at low altitudes, generally below 400 feet, have a battery life less than an hour, and must be operated within visual line of sight. If a fireline supervisor needs to get a better vantage point while on the line, they can launch these smaller UAS from their location and get the information back in real time. This also gives field personnel the opportunity to capture pictures of terrain and vegetation when scouting line. This information can be sent back to the incident command post for planning purposes.

Type 1and type 2 UAS are more complex systems that require more personnel and designated areas for launching. Flight crews for these larger systems can range from 3 to 9 or more crewmembers. Each of these personnel have important job responsibilities such as flying the aircraft, coordinating with ground and air resources, and interpreting data. These larger systems can fly to heights over 10,000 feet and operate for multiple hours. They can fly beyond visual line of sight and carry multiple cameras for mapping. On larger wildfires the Incident Management Team can utilize these larger “drones” for quicker turnaround times on infrared flights to identify heat along the fire perimeter.

The airspace above a wildland fire can be a complex environment with multiple fixed and rotor wing aircraft operating at different altitudes. Fire managers put a temporary flight restriction (TFR) over wildfires to maintain control of the aircraft within that space. In order to allow a UAS to climb through a complex airspace like this, fire managers use an area identified as a Launch Recovery Zone (LRZ). An LRZ is an area within the TFR that can be closed to other aircraft while the UAS ascends and descends. When an LRZ is “hot” no other aircraft can enter the space, once the UAS reaches its target altitude the LRZ is “cold” and other aircraft can fly through it again.

After landing, UAS data specialists support the operation by pulling the GPS data, photos and videos from the system to be interpreted and packaged for mapping. The data specialist can take pictures from the flight and georeference them on a map. This allows firefighters to get maps with updated aerial imagery to get an idea of burn severity or structures threatened. These larger drones also come with infrared (IR) cameras that can feed live IR information to the resources on the ground. This information allows firefighters to identify heat near the fireline so it can be suppressed before it escapes.

UAS operated by fire personnel are carefully coordinated with air and ground resources, it is important that the public remembers not to fly their own drones within the TFR of a wildfire. Individuals who are determined to have interfered with suppression efforts may be subject to civil penalties of up to $20,000 and potential criminal prosecution. Drone intrusions endanger the lives of firefighters, halt air operations, and impact the protection of values at risk.
If you fly, we can’t.

Acres: 5,772
Start Date: June 29, 2019
Cause: Lightning
Location: Peloncillo Mtns. N.M.
Total Personnel: 297
Fuels: Timber, brush, and grass

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoronadoNF/
NM Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/

Miller Fire Update July 9, 2019

Acres: 5,772

Start Date: June 29, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Total personnel: 325

Location: Peloncillo Mtns N.M.

Fuels: Timber, brush, and grass

Objectives: Objectives for this lightning-caused fire include firefighter and public safety, protecting values at risk, and managing the fire for resource benefit. Efforts have already begun to repair areas affected by firefighting operations. This effort will include dispersing excess vegetation and cutting and stacking larger woody material. Water bars will also be installed on several handlines cut on the eastern side of the fire. All of which will improve range, wildlife habitat, and watershed conditions. For more information on managing fires with multiple objective strategies and objectives please see these links.
https://biturl.org/MillerFireMultipleStrategies

https://biturl.org/MillerFireMultipleObjectives

Fire Activity: Fire activity has decreased significantly over the fire due to recent rains. Hot spots are still located within the interior; however, no heat has been detected along the perimeter edge. Warmer weather and low humidity over the next few days may challenge the security of the fire perimeter.

Operations: Firefighters remain diligent and ready to take action in the unlikely event the fire moves from its current position. On Sunday, a lighting strike started a small fire in the Animas Valley. This fire was quickly mitigated by New Mexico State Forestry crews with assistance from crews working the Miller Fire. Yesterday, crews were assisted by an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) staffed by fire personnel in a coordinated effort with fire management to search for additional new starts from lightning strikes, remaining hot spots, and mapping the fire perimeter.

Today, fire crews will continue to monitor and evaluate the burn area. In addition, personnel will begin suppression repair activities on areas affected. As these tasks are completed, crews will begin the process of demobilization and become available in the region to assist with future incidents.

Weather: Another sunny and very warm day is expected with a light westerly breeze and temperatures climbing into the lower 90’s across much of the fire area. The air will remain dry with rather poor overnight humidity recovery followed by a low relative humidity in the afternoon.

Closures: There is a temporary flight restriction closure over the fire. No other closures are in the area however, crews will still be working over the next several days. Please use caution on roads around the fire to protect your own welfare and that of the fire crews.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoronadoNF/

Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet

Managing the Miller Fire for Firefighter and Public Safety, and for Resource Benefits

At the beginning of the 20th century, land managers were already debating the role of wildfires in the American West. Some thought fires were a natural part of forest and rangeland ecosystems that should be allowed to burn in order to maintain forest and rangeland health. Others thought that uncontained fires represented too great a threat to timberland, rangeland, and people and they should not be allowed to burn.

In 1910, the “Big Burn” occurred in Northern Idaho and Western Montana. The fire burned 4,687 square miles and caused 87 fatalities including firefighters. The years following the Big Burn defined the ideology of wildfire management, which was full suppression. The policy was to contain wildfires to the smallest size possible as soon as possible, and for over a century land managers were very successful at doing so.

Prior to full suppression, naturally reoccurring wildfires burned through forests and rangelands. The fires were of low intensity since repeated fires kept brush, leaves, and dead logs and branches from accumulating on the ground. The fires also prevented forest overgrowth. This maintained more space between trees making them less susceptible to fire spread. As fires were excluded from the landscape, however, woody fuel on the ground accumulated and overgrowth occurred. Wildfires began to burn with more intensity, were more resistant to control, and became larger as a result. These larger, more intense fires are an increasing threat to both firefighter and public safety, forest and rangeland, personal property, and other values at risk.

While there is still a role for full suppression in wildfire management, such as the wildland-urban interface, it is not the only strategy available to land managers. Other strategies, such as confinement, monitoring, and point or zone protection, offer additional tools for achieving objectives in wildfire management.

On the Miller Fire, for example, over a century of fire suppression has allowed woody fuels such as brush, juniper, and chaparral to expand into grassland areas previously kept open by wildfires. This increases the risk of future high intensity fires, as well as changes in the natural habitat. Fully suppressing the fire would only contribute to the problem.

For that reason, the fire is being managed under two strategies where 80 percent of the fire is being confined, 20 percent is under point or zone protection, and none is under full suppression. These strategies will allow the fire to spread and to clear out woody overgrowth while protecting structures, people, and values at risk. The benefits of this combination of strategies will not only reduce the risk of future high intensity fires, but will also improve rangeland and forest health.

The strategies also provide for firefighter safety. By monitoring areas of the fire in steep, rugged inaccessible terrain, firefighters are not put at risk trying to suppress the fire where they do not have escape routes or safety zones, and cannot be evacuated quickly to medical care in case of an injury.