Black Fire Daily Update June 12, 2022

Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 12 June 2022 12 June 2022

Firefighters Continue to Work in Hot, Dry, and Windy Conditions

Acres: 305,204 acres
Location: 31 miles NW of Truth or Consequences
Containment: 42%
Personnel: 1005
Start Date: Friday, May 13, 2022
Cause: Human-caused, under investigation
Fuels: Timber and tall grass
Structures Lost: 5

Road Closure: NM 152 is currently closed, from mileposts 40 (Kingston) to milepost 15 (San Lorenzo). No entry will be allowed. A portion of the Gila National Forest affected by the fire has been closed.

To learn about the current evacuation status for the Black Fire, please access the real-time, interactive evacuation map. or contact your local jurisdiction's emergency management agencies.

Firefighters are working in hot, dry, and windy conditions to fully suppress the Black Fire. Humidity levels have increased for a short period of time within a small part of the fire because of the storms passing, but very little rain has fallen over the fire. Aggressive fire behavior is occurring due to weather conditions and topography.

Firefighters are working day and night shifts around the entire fire area. Firefighters have been scouting for natural features on the landscape within the southern fire perimeter that can be used as holding features to stop the fire. There was little fire growth in the Granite Peak area. Firefighters are chipping vegetation along the Continental Divide Trail, and they have completed structure protection in Thunderbird Campground. Firefighters are improving existing containment lines and patrolling around the fire. There were no new fire starts within the Black Fire Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) area.

Please be cautious if driving in the areas where firefighters are working and be aware of increased fire traffic.

Weather: Isolated afternoon and evening dry thunderstorms are expected today, with a slight chance of thunderstorms on Monday. Dry conditions return Tuesday and Wednesday. Warm to hot temperatures, low daytime relative humidity and lowering night-time RH recoveries will occur through Wednesday. Stronger winds are expected through Tuesday, especially Monday when critical fire weather conditions may occur.

Aviation Restrictions: The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) which restricts non-fire aircraft over the Black Fire has been expanded to the south, east, and west. This includes civilian drones. Unauthorized aircraft in the area can ground firefighting aircraft, hinder firefighting efforts, and can also result in criminal charges for the offender.

Fire Restrictions: Know Before You Go! The public can obtain current state and federal fire restriction information across New Mexico at NM Fire Info | Fire Restrictions or at NM Forestry Division state-wide fire restrictions: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/find-current-fire-restrictions/

More Information:
• InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8103/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GilaNForest
• New Mexico Fire information: https://nmfireinfo.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/gilanforest
• New Mexico Road Information: www.nmroads.com/
• Smoke Outlook Report: https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/dde9ec52
• Sierra County: https://www.sierraco.org/department/emergency-management/
• Catron County: https://www.catroncounty.us/departments/fire_chief/
• Grant County: https://grantcountynm.gov/departments/emergency-management/
• Firewise: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/fire-prevention-programs/firewise-usa/




Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.