Fire burning in grass, brush, pinon and juniper, driven by gusty winds

SILVER CITY, NM, June 10, 2023 – A new fire ignition was spotted Friday evening by the Signal Peak lookout, approximately 9 miles east of Gila, New Mexico on the Gila National Forest. Driven by gusty winds, the LS Mesa Fire has grown to about 125 acres, following fuels and terrain to the northeast.

Incident Commander Ed Huerta said, "Recent hot, dry and windy conditions have made fuels more receptive to fire, which is consuming heavy grasses in a pinon/juniper woodland."

The fire started on New Mexico state land in the Dorsey Mesa area and moved onto Gila National Forest. A combination of state and Forest Service firefighting resources are aggressively suppressing the fire, whose cause is under investigation. There are currently four fire engines, two 10-person suppression modules, a 5-person initial attack module responding, along with two Type 3 helicopters that are being used primarily as crew transport, and a Type 1 helicopter dropping buckets of water to cool flare ups and slow the fire's advance. Two single engine air tankers, two large air tankers, and a very large air tanker are laying down retardant. A fixed-wing air attack platform is overseeing aerial resources. Two additional hand crews have been ordered.

There are private lands located to the north, west, and east of the fire's current location. Light smoke is visible from Silver City.

More information about the LS Mesa Fire is available at Wildfire | InciWeb. For more information contact Maribeth Pecotte at 575-388-8211 or Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.gov.