Buck Fire Update
Thursday June 19, 2025
Reported date: June 11, 2025 Containment: 39%
Cause: Lightning Size: 57,753
Personnel: 336 Fuels: Grass, timber Strategy: Full Suppression
Fire behavior: Torching, flanking, backing
Operations: Fire activity remained minimal yesterday as crews focused on securing active edges. On the north end of the fire, hotshot crews are working from both flanks of an uncontained section with isolated torching to extinguishing hotspots and construct handline where needed to prevent further spread. Engines continue to patrol along Forest Road 163, addressing any residual heat near the fire’s perimeter. A handline was completed from Batton Tank to the Continental Divide Trail, aiding containment efforts along the west and northwest flanks. Crews remain engaged in mop-up and patrol operations to secure remaining heat in all areas of existing fire line.
A message from the Incident Commander, Lino Baca: “Additional medical support has been integrated into fire operations to enhance firefighter safety in the event of an accident or injury. This added capacity has allowed crews to engage more directly with the fire, even under extreme burning conditions and a high probability of ignition driven by critically dry fuels.”
Weather: Hot temperatures and dry conditions persist throughout the fire area today with temperatures between 85-90 degrees and 6-11% relative humidity. Winds will remain calmer out of the south/southeast 9-14 mph with gusts to 18 mph.
Location: Pelona Mountain, Northwest of Winston, Southwest of Magdalena and Datil, and Southeast of Aragon.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the top priority. Members of the public should avoid the Buck Fire area. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire. Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting aircraft “If you fly, we can’t!”.
Closures: Public should avoid driving on NM 163 within the fire area. The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) has issued a soft closure to discourage any CDT hikers from hiking through the fire area due to public safety and accountability.
Smoke: May be visible from Highway 12 southeast of the community of Aragon, NM and southwest of Highway 60. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures.
https://nmtracking.doh.nm.gov/environment/air/FireAndSmoke.html
Public Information:
Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/BuckFir e
Inciweb: https://www.inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmado-buck-fire
AirNow: https://www.fire.airnow.gov
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_4643
Buck Fire Information
575-727-1397
