Front Page News

By Roger Lanse

Sunday morning, July 5, 2026, a Silver City Fire Department crew was cleaning up the area behind the Grant County Administration Building where the town's July 4th fireworks show was displayed the evening before. According to SCFD personnel, the spent fireworks were gathered, following the show, and placed in water to be disposed of the next morning after they had soaked overnight.

As crew members were picking up the soaked ordinance Sunday morning, a 'spent' mortar suddenly exploded close to SCFD Chief Milo Lambert, injuring him severely. He was rushed to Whiskey Creek Airport where a medical helicopter transported him to an El Paso hospital. 

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.

 July 8, 2026

Wetting Rains Aid Firefighting Efforts

Acres: 9,590                                                                                          

Start Date: June 21, 2026

Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                              

Personnel: 166

Containment: 17%                                                                          

Cause: Lightning

Map and Smoke Outlook BELOW

Summary: Yesterday morning a Type 1 Helicopter conducted water drops along the fire's edge southwest of Willow Creek Subdivision, to slow the fire's progression. In the afternoon, wetting rain moderated the fire behavior along the northwest perimeter between Hummingbird Saddle and Little Turkey Lake. On the northeast flank, containment improved as the fire advanced into the Turkeyfeather scar, where reduced fuels caused it to lose momentum. In the Willow Creek area, firefighters have deployed nearly 100 sprinkler kits and thousands of feet of hose for structure protection. Crews completed the hazard tree removal along Bearwallow Road.

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.

 July 6, 2026

Crews Direct Attack on Fire's North Edge for Willow Creek Protection

Acres: 9,274                                                                                       

Start Date: June 21, 2026

Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                                       

Personnel: 156

Containment: 0%

Cause: Lightning

Summary: On Sunday, crews put in direct line along the north edge of the fire, to protect cabins in the Willow Creek Subdivision. They were aided by Saturday's fire-retardant drops which reduced heat intensity and aided the crews in successfully tying the line into the Hummingbird Fire footprint. Firefighters also continued structure protection in Willow Creek, and installed water systems including sprinklers, hoses, and pumps to improve suppression capability. Cutting activities on Bearwallow Road focused on removing hazard trees. An unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flew in coordination with a helicopter to provide site-specific details and aerial wide reconnaissance.

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

[Editor's Note: Because the photographer got the captions all mixed up in her notebook, the photos will not have captions.]

Hosted by Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico, in partnership with Presbyterian, Molina and United Healthcare, a community health resource fair took place at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Conference Center with about 30 participating groups providing information to visitors.  

Including the hosts and partners, also taking part in the community health resource fair included The STEM program at Western New Mexico University, Gila Regional Medical Center, Silver Health Care, the New Mexico Non-Metro Area on Aging, America's Job Center, New Mexico Division of  vocational Rehabilitation, Hidalgo Medical Center,  New Mexico Support Services, the Grant County Community Health Council, the Las Cruces Recovery Center, Ambercare, Blue Door, Imagination Library, AARP,  WNMU Family Counseling Center, Cassie's Health Center,  the Health Care Authority, AmplifieTherapy, Community Partnership of Children, Athena Hope and Healing, Literacy Link-Leamos, Grand Canyon University, and others the author might have missed.

 July 5, 2026

Air Resources Support Firefighters in Suppression Efforts

Acres: 8,638                                                                                   Start Date: June 21, 2026

Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                       Personnel: 149

Containment: 0%                                                                           Cause: Lightning

Smoke Outlook and Map below

Summary: On Saturday, Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) applied retardant to help slow the Sacaton Fire's advance toward cabins and outbuildings in the Willow Creek Subdivision. The fire remained most active on its southeast perimeter, particularly in Rain Creek and a tributary of the West Fork of the Gila River.

Today, firefighters on the ground will build on that progress by using the retardant line to engage the fire directly. Their goal is to tie the fire's edge into the 2026 Hummingbird Fire footprint and the South Fork of Willow Creek, helping to limit further spread. Crews are also continuing to prepare indirect lines that could be used if conditions require defensive firing operations.

Firefighting Force Grows Quickly

Acres: 6,782                                                                                   Start Date: June 21, 2026

Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM                                       Personnel: 148

Containment: 0%                                                                           Cause: Lightning

Map below

 Summary: Yesterday, 114 additional resources arrived on the Sacaton Fire. The fire continued to grow in the headwaters of Willow Creek, flanking through heavy fuel loading and standing dead trees from the 2012 Whitewater Baldy Fire. Fire spread to the north is slowing as it enters the recent Hummingbird and Turkey Feather fire footprints.

Unfortunately, Apache Cabin, a historic Forest Service cabin located in the Gila Wilderness, was lost in the fire. The cabin's location mid-slope and intense fire behavior did not allow for safe engagement for firefighters. The preservation of life and firefighter safety remain the highest priority.