See map, Spanish version and smoke outlook at bottom of this article.

Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team Incident Commander – Pete Valenzuela
Information Phone: 720 693-3527 Hours: 8 am-8pm Email: 2023.Pass@Firenet.gov

Acres: 42,665
Location: 40 miles west of Winston
NM Containment: 18%
Personnel: 141
Start Date: May 18, 2023
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Timber, pinon/juniper and grass

The last piece of the Road 21 preparation was completed yesterday after firefighters finished clearing brush around structures on private land. The 21 Road is now cleared to Snow Lake essentially widening the contingency fireline. A lot of slash was piled along the 59 Rd. after a similar operation. Crews have been chipping that debris and returning the biomass to the forest. Fire crews are patrolling and extinguishing hot spots along the contained fireline as necessary. Several small firing operations were conducted to better tie in the line and provide a buffer for private properties.

The primary operation of the day was firing along the southern edge of the fire. The goal is to create a continuous "straight" line, squaring up the southern and eastern flanks of the fire. This eliminates large pockets of vegetation that can be prone to make intense runs when weather and slope are in alignment.

Lookouts on Yellow Mountain have been observing fire as it moves in toward the Middle Fork of the Gila River. Some movement was observed yesterday. Resources have moved into the area to better evaluate the potential.

Weather: The next few days will begin sunny, with clouds building towards the afternoon. Overnight, an east push will slowly bring more surface moisture to the region, moving from east to west. The best chances for moisture will be for Tuesday. The higher moisture levels are expected to decrease smoke density.

Aviation Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is still in place over the Pass Fire. All non-fire aircraft are restricted. This includes civilian drones. Unauthorized aircraft in the area will ground firefighting aircraft, hindering firefighting efforts.

Closures: The Gila National Forest remains open. Visitors are encouraged to use extreme caution when driving near the fire area due to the presence of firefighters and equipment.

Health: If residents in the surrounding areas have breathing related health problems, please refer to www.airnow.gov for smoke conditions and recommendations for your area.

For More Information:
• Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-pass-fire Inciweb is the official site for fire
information. This site is secure and updated daily.
• New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/
• Air Quality: https://www.airnow.gov