Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley-Lowlands of the Bootheel-
Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin-
Including the cities of Virden, Animas, Hachita, Lordsburg,
Deming, Red Rock, Antelope Wells, and Columbus
737 AM MDT Sat Jul 11 2026

...BLOWING DUST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Visibility between one-quarter and one mile in blowing dust expected from thunderstorm outflows. Winds may gust as high as 70 MPH with the strongest storms, creating near zero visibility in localized areas. Dust Storm Warnings will be issued as necessary.

* WHERE...Lowlands of the Bootheel, Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley, and Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin.

Press Release – July 11, 2026

Precipitation Aids Containment on Sacaton Fire

Acres: 9737                                                                               Start Date: June 21, 2026

Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                                                       Personnel: 161

Containment: 43%                                                                             Cause: Lightning

Summary: Fire crews made steady progress on Friday, supported by light precipitation over the entire fire area and helicopter bucket drops. Crews completed preparation work on the Bearwallow Road.  Along the 119 Road crews improved road access using a dozer. At Willow Creek, the structure protection group finished removing accumulated slash and logs to maintain road access and reduce flood risk.  Areas of remaining heat were observed near Black Mountain and north of Turkeyfeather Mountain.

Today, crews are reducing vegetation along Bearwallow Road by hauling slash created during earlier preparation work. Initial attack resources remain ready to assist other divisions and respond promptly to any new fire starts.

HIGH WIND WEATHER ADVISORY:
High wind warning in Hildago and Luna Counties, visibility is low in areas due to blowing dust. High profile vehicles please use caution. The NMDOT will continue monitoring the roadway. This event will be updated as conditions change.

REMOVED: ROAD ADVISORY
ALERT- Lordsburg Playa Area
Difficult Driving Conditions, I 10 eastbound and westbound lanes from mile marker 5 (Steins) to 15 (Gary) will have officers slow rolling traffic due to dust and low visibility.

[Editor's Note: I'm guessing you should get used to this every day for a few months!]

Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service El Paso TX
439 PM MDT Fri Jul 10 2026

The National Weather Service in El Paso has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
South central Grant County in southwestern New Mexico...
West central Luna County in southwestern New Mexico...
Northwestern Hidalgo County in southwestern New Mexico...

* Until 615 PM MDT.

* At 435 PM MDT, a strong thunderstorms were located over mainly
rural areas of southern Grant and northern Hidalgo Counties,
moving south at 20 mph.

FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM MDT THIS AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE...A portion of southwest New Mexico, including the following
county, Grant.

* WHEN...Until 515 PM MDT.

* IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
Some low-water crossings may become impassable. Ponding of water
in urban or other areas is occurring or is imminent.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 313 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to
thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin
shortly in the advisory area. Between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain
has fallen.
- Additional rainfall of up to 0.5 inches is expected over the
area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding.

 July 10, 2026 

Steady Progress Continues on Sacaton Fire 

Map below

Acres: 9,675                     Start Date: June 21, 2026 

Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM

Personnel: 165 

Containment: 35%        Cause: Lightning 

Summary: On Thursday, a Type 1 helicopter conducted bucket drops on the northern portion of the fire. Light precipitation occurred over the incident, though not as much as in previous days. Preparation work continued along Bearwallow Road, and snagging operations were completed up to the Bearwallow Lookout.  Several heat pockets were observed near Black Mountain and the Turkey Feather Fire footprint.    

Today, crews continue preparation work along Bearwallow Road, removing vegetation to support future fire holding operations if necessary.  A dozer will continue to improve the 119 Road, removing hazards to enhance access. The structure protection group will remove accumulated slash and logs in the Willow Creek area to reduce flooding risk. The initial attack firefighters remain available to respond to new fire starts and support local districts as needed.  

Weather: Conditions will be drier today as precipitation chances decrease. On Friday and Saturday, rain becomes much less likely as northwest winds shift deeper moisture south, bringing drier air into the fire area. 

Safety: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Sacaton Fire. If you fly, we can't!  

Closures: Ensure you have the most current order by checking the forest's alerts webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila/alerts. Bursum Road/NM-159 is currently closed east of Mogollon to Willow Creek. 

Evacuations: Catron County Sheriff's Office is implementing the Ready, Set, Go! method. The community of Willow Creek is in a GO! evacuation status due to the proximity of the Sacaton Fire. Residents in GO! should leave immediately. For more information evacuation statuses, monitor Catron County Emergency Management on Facebook and sign up for Catron County emergency notifications at catroncounty.us. 

Smoke: Smoke is visible from surrounding communities. Air quality will vary based on fire activity, weather, and wind patterns. Residents should reduce prolonged outdoor activity when smoke is present and check the Air Quality Index before recreating or working outdoors. Sensitive groups should take extra precautions to limit smoke exposure. For real-time smoke conditions, visit fire.airnow.gov. 

Fire Restrictions: The Gila National Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions due to long term severe drought in the Gila region, increased tree mortality across the forest, and forecasted hotter, drier weather conditions. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions limit campfires on forest land to designated recreation sites and campgrounds with constructed metal fire rings. Open burning is also prohibited in the unincorporated area of Catron County and Catron County Fire District 30. 

For more information: 

Public Information Officer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 575-210-8631  

Incident Information: inciweb.wildfire.gov/nmgnf-sacaton-fire  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest