Location: 5 miles north of Pinos Altos, NM Size: ~ 11,159 acres
Start Date: June 6, 2020 Cause: Lightning
Vegetation: Trees and Brush Containment: 75%
Incident Commander: E. Huerta, ICT4

Strategy/Summary: The Tadpole Fire has not advanced in the last few days. Interior smokes are being monitored by fire crews. Crews continue to monitor fire lines and check for hotspots. NM Highway 15 was reopened on July 2. This will be the final update on the fire unless the situation changes.

Safety:

A Closure Order is in place for public health and safety. Gates are being installed at Sheep Corral Road and Trout Creek Road. Do not go into the closure area there are post fire hazards. Tree roots and stumps are particularly dangerous. Their only evidence may be a thin layer of ash on the soil surface. Unsuspecting visitors may step on one and end up with their foot and leg in a deep hole which can hold hot embers for weeks after the fire is out. It is very easy to break an ankle or suffer a serious strain with a single misstep.

Weather: The National Weather Service is predicting hotter than normal weather patterns for the next 10 days. Monsoonal rains are projected to begin the third week of July.

Smoke: With the onset of hotter, dryer weather smoke has again been visible near the private inholding and TX Mountain. 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/6737/.

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