July 7, 2026
Increased Containment on the North Edge of the Sacaton Fire
Acres: 9,349
Start Date: June 21, 2026
Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM
Personnel: 166
Containment: 11%
Cause: Lightning
Summary: Yesterday containment increased on the northern flank where the fire reached the recent Hummingbird Fire footprint. The fire experienced light rain, though it was largely non-wetting, and fire behavior remained active. Structure protection personnel adjusted the sprinkler systems in Willow Creek to increase total coverage, while firefighters continued hazard tree removal along Bearwallow Road. Firefighters from the Sacaton Fire assisted the Gila National Forest with a new lightning-caused fire called the Gilita. The Gilita has been contained and called out due to a fast response from the national forest and Sacaton firefighters.
Today, firefighters will be assessing fire growth should defensive firing operations become necessary to protect Willow Creek Subdivision. Crews will keep working on Bearwallow Road as a contingency fireline. An initial attack group remains ready to respond to any new lighting-caused starts.
Weather: Weather conditions today and Wednesday are expected to mirror Monday, with sunny mornings giving way to scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoons. Wetting rains remain possible, and afternoon relative humidity reaching up to 25% may help moderate fire behavior.
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
