Location: 1 1/2 miles Southwest of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Start Date: June 28, 2020 Cause: Lightning Size: ~17,588 acres
Vegetation: Timber, Tall Grass, Brush Containment: 60%

Strategy/Summary: This lightning-caused fire is burning on National Forest System lands in the Gila Wilderness. Fire crews have successfully stopped the forward spread of the northeast section of the fire. The fire continues to back into the main Gila River on the south and southwest portions of the fire. The fire behavior there is observed as a low intensity surface fire.

Weather:

Warm and dry conditions are predicted for the fire area. Minimum relative humidity will be in the teens along and west of the river while 20s are expected east on Saturday. Relative humidity will fall into the teen's area wide for the lowlands Sunday. Winds will be generally in the 5-15 mph range.

Smoke: Smoke from the fire rises up and away during the daytime, but in the evenings, smoke can pool back down in canyons, drainages, and basins. For information on air quality and protecting your health, and to find guidance on distances and visibility, please visit https://nmtracking.org/fire. Fire information can be found at nmfireinfo.com.
Inciweb information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6739/.

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/gil