Mimbres, NM, June 16, 2021—Acting Park Superintendent Jerome Flood announces the reopening of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument effective Thursday, June 17 at 09:00 a.m. As the Johnson Fire is cooling down on the eastern portion of the fire, fire managers have determined that the risk to the public is minimal and visitors can safely visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.

Visitors will be able to view the Cliff Dwellings from the trail in Cliff Dweller Canyon but will not be able to enter the caves. Great views are accessible from several viewpoints along the trail and park staff will be available to answer questions and give directions. Cliff Dweller Road and NM Highway 15 to the Gila Visitor Center Parking lot will be open. Fire management vehicles and personnel will be using these roads during fire operations. Visitors are reminded to travel cautiously when encountering fire traffic. The Cliff Dwellings Bookstore at the Contact Center is now reopened as well. The Middle Fork Trail #157 is now accessible. Visitors/users of the Middle Fork Trail are requested to park in the Gila Visitor Center parking lot rather than the trailhead parking lot, as the road to the trailhead will remain closed for visitor safety.

The Upper and Lower Scorpion Campgrounds, West Fork Trailhead, Woody's Corral, and TJ's Corral Trailhead will remain closed due to fire personnel occupying these areas. The Gila National Forest Temporary Area Closure, which applies to the Gila Wilderness, will remain in effect until rescinded. Know before you go and check out maps and fire information on Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7493/.

For further information on these closures, alternate routes through the Gila Wilderness, or fire updates call 575-536-2250 (M-F 8:00 – 4:00 p.m.) or 575-519-0103 (any time between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.). The number for the Gila Cliff Dwellings is 575-536-9461. If there is no answer, please leave a message or call back later as their phones are staffed intermittently.

Location: Johnson Canyon, west of McKenna Park. 3 miles west of Gila Cliff Dwellings, Wilderness Ranger District, Catron County, NM

Start Date: May 20, 2021 Size: ~73,069 acres Cause: Lightning
Vegetation: Ponderosa Pine and Grass Total Personnel: 198 Containment: 11%

Resources: Three Interagency Hotshot Crews, three ten-person Handcrew, three ten-person Wildfire Modules, five Type 6 Engines, four Water Tenders, and two Type 3 Helicopters which includes short haul medical equipment, and 1 Type 2 Helicopter.

Summary: The Johnson Fire is approximately 73,069 acres and is burning in the Gila Wilderness on the Gila National Forest. The acreage figure has not been updated today as an infrared (IR) flight was not flown last evening. The suppression strategy for this fire is confine and contain. In the evening hours the fire will appear both larger and closer than it is due to the inability to reference its size to any physical landmarks. Paul Diaz's Type 3 Incident Management Team is taking over the fire while the Gila Las Cruces Team takes required days off. Yesterday, the fire moved toward the Good Fire burn scar, crews burned out small pockets of fuel to secure the fire's edge. Helicopter bucket drops were utilized to hold the fire as it advanced into Turkey Creek. On the northern perimeter crews continued to hold and monitor the fire's edge along the Cub Fire burn scar. Mop up operations continued in White Rocks Canyon to secure control lines. The Cross Fire showed no smoke and was monitored by air. Structure protection assessments in the Willow Creek area continued. Today, crews in the Willow Creek area will scout out opportunities to prepare control lines for future operations as the fire moves northward. Monitor and patrol activities contiue along control lines in the White Creek Cabin and White Rocks Canyon areas. The southern and western perimeters of the fire will be monitored by aerial reconnaissance.

Objectives:

Three additional COVID-19 deaths

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Wednesday announced 82 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:

22 new cases in Bernalillo County
1 new case in Cibola County
1 new case in Colfax County
3 new cases in Curry County
8 new cases in Doña Ana County
3 new cases in Eddy County
2 new cases in Grant County
2 new cases in Guadalupe County
1 new case in Lincoln County
3 new cases in Luna County
1 new case in McKinley County
6 new cases in Rio Arriba County
4 new cases in Sandoval County
11 new cases in San Juan County
2 new cases in San Miguel County
3 new cases in Santa Fe County
2 new cases in Socorro County
2 new cases in Taos County
1 new case in Torrance County
4 new cases in Valencia County

The Department of Health on Wednesday reported three additional deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19:

[Editor's Note: This is part 5 of a multi-article series on the Grant County Commission work session of June 8, 2021, and the regular meeting on June 10, 2021. This article reports on the proposal on fiber to provide broadband.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The last presentation came during the discussion about how the county should use its American Rescue Plan Act funding of $5.2 million.

Previous articles can be read at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/65519-grant-county-commission-holds-marathon-work-session-hears-five-presentations-060821; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/65548-grant-county-commission-hears-gila-national-forest-update-060821-part-2 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/65561-grant-county-commission-hears-presentation-from-freeport-mcmoran-at-work-session-060821-part-3; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/65562-grant-county-commission-hears-presentation-from-commissioner-edwards-at-work-session-060821-part-4.

WNM Communications General Manager Daniel Meszler and WNM Communications Director of Operations Wayne Baxter opened the discussion.

Meszler said the company is a local broadband provider. "We have 60 employees locally. To feed back off the last presentation on economic development, connectivity and broadband are very important. The last year showed us how important. It was needed for people to run their small businesses from home and for our kids to attend school. I think our proposal is a perfect segue from the previous presentation."

Zero additional COVID-19 deaths

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Tuesday announced 122 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:

25 new cases in Bernalillo County
1 new case in Chaves County
3 new cases in Curry County
1 new case in De Baca County
8 new cases in Doña Ana County
9 new cases in Eddy County
1 new case in Guadalupe County
3 new cases in Lea County
1 new case in Los Alamos County
1 new case in Luna County
1 new case in McKinley County
1 new case in Otero County
2 new cases in Quay County
4 new cases in Rio Arriba County
2 new cases in Roosevelt County
5 new cases in Sandoval County
10 new cases in San Juan County
2 new cases in San Miguel County
6 new cases in Santa Fe County
1 new case in Torrance County
9 new cases in Valencia County
26 new cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the Torrance County Detention Facility

The Department of Health on Tuesday reported zero additional deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19.

Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Visit the New Mexico Fire Information website at www.nmfireinfo.com
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7493/
Fire Phone 575-519-0103

JOHNSON FIRE
Location: Johnson Canyon, west of McKenna Park. 11 miles west of Gila Cliff Dwellings, Wilderness Ranger District, Catron County, NM

Start Date: May 20, 2021 Size: ~ 73,069 Cause: Lightning
Vegetation: Ponderosa Pine and Grass Total Personnel: 138 Containment: 11%

RESOURCES: Three Interagency Hotshot Crews, one twelve-person hand crew, one ten-person Wildfire Module, one twenty-person Initial Attack crew, five Type 6 Engines, four Water Tenders, two Type 3 Helicopters which includes short haul medical equipment, and one Type 2 Helicopter.

SUMMARY: The Johnson Fire is approximately 73,069 acres and is burning in the Gila Wilderness on the Gila National Forest. The acreage is the most accurate information taken from an infrared (IR) flight on Monday evening. Due to improved visibility last night, better IR mapping occurred to provide more accurate acreage figures. The suppression strategy for this fire is confine and contain. In the evening hours the fire will appear both larger and closer than it is due to the inability to reference its size to any physical landmarks. Yesterday, crews mopped up 100 feet within control lines to secure the northeastern corner of the fire in White Rocks Canyon. Along the northern edge of the fire, firefighters secured and monitored the small burn out areas in the Raw Meat Canyon area to connect control lines with the Cub Fire burn scar. Burn out operations using Plastic Sphere Dispenser (PSD) from a helicopter occurred south of Mogollon Baldy Lookout. This operation strengthened structure protection efforts around the lookout. The fire grew along the southern and western perimeters in Turkey and Mogollon Canyon, with most growth occurring in Sycamore and Bush Canyons. The Cross Fire saw little growth as the crews mopped up and secured the fire. Today work will continue in White Rocks Canyon to secure firelines. Structure protection assessments will begin in the Willow Creek subdivision and crews will scout trails in the area for potential fireline locations. The southern and western perimeters will again be monitored by air resources.

INCIDENT OBJECTIVES: