July 9, 2026
Containment Increases on Sacaton Fire
Acres: 9,675 Start Date: June 21, 2026
Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 167
Containment: 23% Cause: Lightning
Summary: On Wednesday, wetting rain significantly moderated fire behavior along the northern edge, helping improve containment on the northeast perimeter. A pocket of heat on the southwest side near Black Mountain increased the fire acreage by approximately 85 acres. Crews also continued hazard tree and snag removal along Bearwallow Road to improve safety and access.
Today, crews continue assessing fire behavior and are prepared to initiate defensive firing near Willow Creek if conditions require. Preparation work will advance along Bearwallow Road for a future containment line should the fire cross the Bursum Road. Road improvement and hazard‑mitigation work continues along the 119 Road to enhance access. In the Willow Creek area, personnel will begin removing accumulated slash and logs to reduce potential flooding impacts. An initial attack crew remains available for any new lightning-caused starts and to support local districts as needed.
Weather: Conditions remain consistent today, with sun in the morning giving way to afternoon thunderstorms and scattered showers. Additional wetting rains are possible. The chance of rain decreases significantly on Thursday.
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:
Incident Information: inciweb.wildfire.gov/nmgnf-sacaton-fire
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest
