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Pass Fire
Gila National Forest Incident Commanders –Billy Trujillo Dustin Roper (t)
Information Phone: 575-388-8211 Hours: 8 am-4:30 pm

Acres: 53,465
Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM
Containment: 13%
Personnel: 79
Email: 2023.Pass@Firenet.gov

Yesterday, stronger winds caused fire activity to increase and burn moderately through an additional 374 acres on the Pass Fire. Firefighters monitoring the fire area, determined the fire grew mostly on the southeast portion near Windfall Mesa and Green Fly trail (#26), still within the predetermined planned boundaries. Fire activity observed was backing down in small pines and ground fuel (vegetation). Firefighters are closely monitoring this area and ensuring the Pass Fire stays within the designated boundaries while protecting private property and other values at risk. Indian Creek showed no fire activity where firefighters completed securing that containment line and are assessing a nearby trail to improve for any future fire containment and control. Monitoring of the whole fire area continues as long as interior smokes still exist within the perimeter.

Hot and dry weather with gusty winds up to 30 mph will persist today making vegetation more available to burn with more growth of the Pass Fire expected.

The overall strategy on the Pass Fire is to allow the low to moderate intensity of the fire to play its natural role on the landscape as firefighters take appropriate actions to keep the fire within the designated planned boundaries while protecting private land, infrastructure, and natural resources. The Gila National Forest is a fire-adapted ecosystem. It is dependent on fire to play a natural role in restoring the landscape to more natural conditions while preventing the occurrence of extreme fires in the future.

Safety: High potential for fire today. Please use caution and stay informed on changing fire and weather conditions. There are currently no closures in place.

Weather: Sunny, with highs around 83-88 degrees. Elevated fire danger today through Tuesday. West- Southwest winds 11-21 and increasing to 20-25 mph in the afternoon with gusts up to 30 mph and no rain in the near future.

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. If you fly, we can't.

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