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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 11 June 2022 11 June 2022

On Friday evening (June 10, 2022) a new fire was reported to be burning near Redstone (Wilderness Ranger District) in the Gila National Forest approximately 3 miles south of the Celebration Forest Service Fire Camp in the Mimbres area of Grant County. U.S. Forest Service Fire Officials confirmed this new fire and estimated its size at 80 acres at that time. As of this morning, June 11, 2022 the fire has grown to an estimated 140 acres in size. Lightning is suspected as the cause.

As this fire is outside of the current Black Fire Management Zone, it has been named as the "Skates Fire" and will be actively fought. Plans are for this fire to be aggressively suppressed, significant resources are being assigned to it, including aircraft.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office is working closely with Black Fire Management Team on both fires. Please refer to official U.S. Forest Service Fire information releases or contact the Black Fire Management Team Public Information Officer(s) for any additional news on fire spread and evacuation zones as these may change.

The public is asked to avoid any unnecessary travel into and through the Mimbres area of Grant County. Please consider that every person and vehicle unnecessarily in the area has a potential impact to hinder the activities of firefighting. Persons without a legitimate need to be in the area may also place themselves and others at great risk.