Sacaton Fire sees continued growth in Gila Wilderness 070226

Sacaton Fire reaches 5,545 acres as Type 3 team takes command July 3

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(Glenwood, NM, July 2, 2026) — The lightning-caused Sacaton Fire, detected Sunday, June 21, in the Gila Wilderness, continues to actively burn. The fire is approximately 12.5 miles southeast of Glenwood and 21 miles northwest of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. The fire is now estimated at 5,545 acres.

On Wednesday, the most significant fire growth occurred along the Iron Creek drainage, where the fire burned through heavy dead and down vegetation and pockets of mixed conifer within the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire scar. Long‑range spotting, steady southwest winds and very low overnight humidity recoveries contributed to continuous fire behavior. The northeast edge of the Sacaton Fire has now reached the footprint of the Hummingbird Fire, which burned earlier this year in April and May.

Fire behavior on Thursday remained similar, with continued long‑range spotting. Southwest winds ranged from 5 to 12 mph, with gusts up to 21 mph. Smoke will remain visible from several locations in and around the Gila National Forest. The Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team will assume command of the Sacaton Fire at 6 a.m. on Friday, July 3.

A closure order is in effect and can be viewed on the forest's alerts webpage.

Catron County Sheriff's Office, in communication with Catron County Emergency Management and the forest, has placed the community of Willow Creek in SET evacuation status. Sign up for Catron County's emergency notification system and monitor the Catron County Emergency Management Facebook page.

Stay informed about the Sacaton Fire and other wildfires on the forest through the forest'swebsite and Facebook page, InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information or WildFireSA.

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.