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.

Most of the fire movement is on the southern flank in the Gila Wilderness as it continues to back slowly down slope. An area previously fired in Burnt Corral Canyon to reduce available fuels is growing slowly. Precipitation has slowed the fire's growth but fuels are expected to dry over the next few days and fire activity will increase. The north and east side of the fire is in monitor status and holding well. Today, a crew will remove the fire resistant wrapping from Black Mountain Lookout.

The Gila Las Cruces Incident Management Team will be transitioning to a smaller local team Saturday morning. The complexity of the fire has decreased and many of the resources are being released.

Containment percentage will continue to fluctuate as the fire grows within the planning area. However, the containment line will continue to hold.

Weather: Drier air is moving in, with humidity values dropping. Southwest winds will be breezy with a few local gusts in the afternoon. Light to slightly breezy southwest winds will continue through the end of the work week.

Aviation Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is still in place over the Pass Fire. All non-fire aircraft are restricted. This includes civilian drones. Unauthorized aircraft in the area will ground firefighting aircraft, hindering firefighting efforts.

Closures: The Gila National Forest remains open. Visitors are encouraged to use extreme caution when driving near the fire area due to the presence of firefighters and equipment.

For More Information:
• Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-pass-fire Inciweb is the official site for fire
information. This site is secure and updated daily.
• New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/
• Air Quality: https://www.airnow.gov