Pass Fire Daily Update June 9, 2023

Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team Incident Commander – Pete Valenzuela
Information Phone: (575) 297-0790 Hours: 8 am-8pm Email: 2023.Pass@Firenet.gov

Acres: 47,201
Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM Containment: 13%
Personnel: 88
Start Date: May 18, 2023
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Timber, pinon/juniper and grass

***PLEASE NOTE NEW INFORMATION PHONE NUMBER***

Portions of the Pass Fire remain active, primarily on the southern edge of the fire in the Gila Wilderness area. Vegetation will continue to dry out as a hotter and drier weather pattern develops in the area. Crews flew several drone missions to check the area east of Indian Creek where the fire has been active near Brothers West. The area continues to hold. The southernmost portion of the fire is moving slowly southward toward the Middle Fork Gila River where a transition to a sparser fuel bed of Pinyon and Juniper is expected to hold the fire. The fire is also active in Burnt Corral Canyon and fire in that area, which had been previously ignited in a firing operation, has burned into the main body of fire near Jordan Canyon. It will now slowly burn to the north, back into previously burned area, and the south. The northern portion of the fire shows very little heat on infrared mapping data and is holding well. The increase in fire activity will help to consume more of the surface fuels but it is not expected to threaten the line.

The complexity of fighting the Pass Fire is decreasing and fire managers are preparing to transition to a local type 3 organization. This change will bring the resources assigned into alignment with current and projected needs to meet the objectives and continue to protect values at risk.

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Bayard residents arrested for making false reports

By Roger Lanse

At the May 8, 2023, Bayard City Council meeting, Bayard City Councilor Frances Gonzales reported that someone had attempted to break into her home on Bard Street on May 7, at about 3 a.m. At the meeting, Bayard Police Department Chief Hector Carrillo assigned the investigation of the crime to a BPD officer. Gonzales told the officer she would call the next day to arrange a time when the officer could come to her residence. When Gonzales had not contacted the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority to report the attempted break-in, BPD officers went to her residence at about 2:16 p.m. on May 9. They knocked several times, the report said, with no answer.

At about 4:10 p.m., officers returned to Gonzales' home, a BPD incident report stated, and made contact with her. She told the officers suspects had attempted to make entry into her home through the back door, then through all the doors and windows of the residence. Officers walked through the property, specifically under each of the doors and windows that were reported by Gonzales where the suspected illegal entry was attempted. All areas under the windows and around the doors and porch consisted of dirt with a few weeds, the report stated. Officers could find no shoe prints in any of the dirt patches under the windows, or along the fence line, or in the backyard, although the report stated the officers could readily see their own prints.

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Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce holds member luncheon 060123

Photos by Lynn Janes and Article by Mary Alice Murphy

 

The Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce hosted its monthly luncheon at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center on June 1, 2023.

After eating lunch provided by the Eastern Star, members heard from presenters.

Chamber Director Romeo Cruz introduced the board members, and then brought Board Member and PNM Community Manager Bruce Ashburn to the podium to introduce the main speaker of the day, Tony Apodaca, PNM energy efficiency program manager. Ashburn says Apodaca, with whom he has frequently worked, manages business projects for energy efficiency, as well as commercial and residential response programs.

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Added Spanish smoke outlook: Pass Fire Daily Update June 8, 2023

Please view English map and smoke outlook and Spanish daily update.

Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team Incident Commander – Pete Valenzuela

Information Phone: 720 693-3527 Hours: 8 am-8pm Email: 2023.Pass@Firenet.gov

Acres: 46,397
Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM Containment: 13%
Personnel: 99
Start Date: May 18, 2023
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Timber, pinon/juniper and grass

The Pass Fire grew only 104 acres yesterday. The entire fire area was in patrol and monitor status. Crews are continuing to patrol the northern perimeter looking for and extinguishing hot spots. A drone flew an infrared mapping flight over the west side of the fire east of Indian Creek. Data collected showed that the line is still holding. The east side of the fire, where firefighters worked to protect several residences is in monitor status. A handcrew was flown up to the Black Mountain Lookout yesterday by helicopter. The crew removed the fire resistant wrapping used to protect the lookout in the initial days of the fire.

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Road is open I-10 Eastbound lanes closed at milepost 2

I-10 eastbound at milepost 2 is now open, removed from NM Roads

.ROAD CLOSURE

CRASH – Lordsburg Area

I-10 eastbound lanes are closed at milepost 10 due to motor vehicle crash.  Motorists are asked to reduce speed, obey posted signs, and watch for emergency personnel, and equipment. Please expect delays. 

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Michael Renteria updates the council on legislature

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a work session May 23, 2023. The meeting started with Mayor Ken Ladner calling the meeting to order and leading the Pledge of Allegiance and salute to the New Mexico state flag. Council members attending the meeting included Jose Ray, Nicholas Prince, Guadalupe Cano, and Rudy Bencomo.

The council approved the agenda.

The council approved the minutes from the work session held April 25, 2023.

This month's work session continued the discussion about the committee to put together a job description for the new town manager when Alex Brown, town manager retires.

Cano thought 12 – 15 people would be sufficient and a good number.

Prince had not given the council names before for his submission, so he gave them the names he had. Alicia Montoya, young and has been involved in political campaignes. Mattie Eagle, CPA, and experienced in project management. Dr. Barbara Mora and Dr. Twana Sparks. He said he would get with them on the fifth name later. He had not talked to some of them about it.

Bencomo recommended Priscilla Lucero, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments director. He said she had a lot of experience with job descriptions. Silver Schools Superintendent William Hawkins, and retired Police Chief and Municipal jJudge Rudy Jacquez; Flight Paramedic Mike Starr, and now clinical director; State Farm insurance agent John Saari, who owns two businesses. Saari is very interested but needs approval from the insurance company.

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Pass Fire Daily Update June 7, 2023

See map and reports of smoke and activities in Spanish at the bottom.

Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team Incident Commander – Pete Valenzuela
Information Phone: 720 693-3527 Hours: 8 am-8pm Email: 2023.Pass@Firenet.gov

Acres: 46,293
Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM
Containment: 13%
Personnel: 125
Start Date: May 18, 2023
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Timber, pinon/juniper and grass

Much of the Pass Fire has moved into monitoring status. Patrols, lookouts, helicopters, and drones are being used to observe the fire's progression. One area of concern is the Indian Creek drainage adjacent to the fireline. As the fire progressed to Indian Creek, it moved into the rocks and ran out of fuel but firefighters want to verify that it is holding. A drone was deployed to check that area again yesterday. The flight confirmed no further fire progression. Additional recon flights are scheduled for today to monitor movement and determine the location of hot spots.

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GRMC Governing Board held regular meeting May 25, 2023

Photo and article by Mary Alice Murphy

img 6534Presenting and receiving awards, from left in front, are award recipient Richard Vasquez, presenter GRMC Governing Board Chair Alicia Edwards, award recipient Jeremy Sanchez, Interim CNO Cynthia Lewis and Risk Management/ Compliance Officer Denice Baird; and in back, GRMC Governing Board Member Chris Ponce, GRMC CFO Patrick Banks, Member Billy Billings, Interim CEO Margie Molitor, and Members Eloy Medina and Harry Browne.

Presenting and receiving awards, from left in front, are award recipient Richard Vasquez, presenter GRMC Governing Board Chair Alicia Edwards, award recipient Jeremy Sanchez, Interim CNO Cynthia Lewis and Risk Management/ Compliance Officer Denice Baird; and in back, GRMC Governing Board Member Chris Ponce, GRMC CFO Patrick Banks, Member Billy Billings, Interim CEO Margie Molitor, and Members Eloy Medina and Harry Browne.

Gila Regional Medical Center Governing Board Chair Alicia Edwards noted at the beginning of the May 25, 2023 meeting that the agenda had changed, and the executive session, instead of being near the beginning of the meeting, would be toward the end of the meeting.

She announced several recognitions. They included Sonia Uresti for five years of service in Data Access; Mikayla Lopez for five years in the Emergency Room, and Cynthia Cruz for 10 years of service in Cardiology. Two other recognized individuals were present to receive their awards, Jeremy Sanchez for five years of service in Security and Richard Vasquez for five years of service in Facilities.

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