Firefighters’ Efforts Protect Eagle Peak Lookout
June 4, 2018 Daily Update

Acres: 34,709
Start Date: May 22, 2018
Cause: Human-caused
Location: 10 miles NE of Reserve, NM (Gila NF)
Containment: 49%
Fuels: Timber (litter, grass, and understory)
Total personnel: 583

General Information: The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 used a combination of hand crews, firing operations and aircraft dropping water to provide protection for the Eagle Peak Lookout. The weather brought higher relative humidities over the fire yesterday, helping fire suppression efforts by reducing the fire intensity. Rehabilitation efforts, such as chipping cut branches, are proving successful on the northern side of fire. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team has arrived to assess fire-related impacts to the landscape and formulate a plan to reduce the effects of post-fire flooding in the area.

Fire Operations: Crews successfully conducted burnout operations between FR 94 and the Continental Divide Trail, removing fuel ahead of the fire to help control fire intensity and stop fire spread to the northeast. Today, crews will continue working west of Cox Canyon Ranch and Deadman’s Ranch in preparation for tonight’s planned burnout operations along the 4046B road. To the west, the fire has burned into the 1995 HB Fire scar. The fire is currently burning through downed and dead fuels in that area toward a constructed contingency line west of the scar, which should help to halt fire growth.

Fire Safety Awareness: During wildfires, the Agency Administrator and the Incident Commander for the assigned incident management team must make choices to minimize risk and focus on areas where firefighters can be most effective in their efforts. No structure or resource – built, cultural or natural – is worth a human life. During periods of high wildfire activity, it is not uncommon for wildfire suppression resource requests to exceed supply. During these periods, managers work together to prioritize incidents. Wildfires that threaten lives, property, community infrastructure and valuable natural and cultural resources receive assets first. All other incidents receive suppression assets as quickly as possible.

Fire Weather: Light southeasterly winds will once again develop after midnight, bringing another push of moisture into the region. The push of moisture will lead to excellent relative humidity recovery overnight and into early morning hours.

Closures & Restrictions: The area around the fire remains closed for public safety. Roadblocks have been set up by local law enforcement. In support of this closure, the Continental Divide Trail has been rerouted around the fire closures. The trail reroute map is available at https://bit.ly/2GRESFw. More closure information is available at https://bit.ly/2LvwKhN. For information on current fire restrictions, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/gila/alerts-notices/?aid=46143 .

Smoke Situation: A return to westerly winds today will push the smoke plume to the east. Light smoke impacts are expected in Datil and Magdalena early this afternoon, with similar conditions in Socorro and Truth or Consequences. Smoke from the Buzzard Fire is not anticipated to impact Grants, Albuquerque or Silver City. Night and early morning smoke will continue to impact Reserve. For more information on air quality and health impacts due to wildfire smoke, please visit the New Mexico Department of Health website at https://nmtracking.org/fire . Smoke concentration data is available at: https://tools.airfire.org/monitoring/v 4.

Fire Information Links: Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com and https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5814/ .
For information on the Gila National Forest, please visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila .

Fire Information: (602) 529-5924
Office Hours: 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5814/ 
Email: buzzardfireinfo2018@gmail.com