Weather Continues to Dictate Fire Activity and Operations

Location: 17 miles northeast of Reserve, New Mexico

Start Date: May 1, 2017 Size: 3,255 acres

Contained: 17% Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: Ponderosa Pine, Gamble Oak, Pinon/Juniper

Resources: Engines: 3, Type 1 Crew: 1, Type 3 Helicopter: 1, Total personnel: 45

Fire managers are conducting aerial ignitions early this morning then holding and monitoring this afternoon. Wind is expected to increase and will be monitored for afternoon operations. The northern, eastern and southern flank of fire will continue to be patrolled.

The current strategy for the Kerr fire will continue as planned by utilizing this opportunity to allow fire to treat the fire dependent vegetation within the management area. Fire effects within the areas that have burned have removed heavy fuel loads, decreased forest tree densities and decreased ladder fuels. These effects within the John Kerr Peak area have reduced the threat of future undesirable fire effects. Updates on this fire are also available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5171/ 

Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory 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 website at https://nmtracking.org/fire .

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila