SILVER CITY, NM, Sept. 22 – The Gila National Forest's Burned Area Emergency Response Team is implementing post-fire restoration treatments in the Black Fire area. National Forest System Roads continue to be a major concern.

Roads have repeatedly become impassable, leading to reports of visitors stuck in forest areas for multiple days. Currently, the forest road crew is inspecting and completing basic repairs on numerous forest roads located within the fire area to allow vehicle passage. 

Personnel are using two graders, three backhoes, and a dozer, and developing road base at numerous borrow pits in the area to use as fill material. A large a mount of fill is needed to replace lost road surface, and development of this material takes time. Many roads will require long-term planning for permanent repairs. Crews are working on Forest Service Roads 150, 152, 226, 226A, 225, 18, 500, and 62. Forest Service Road 150 in Rocky Canyon, Wall Lake, and Diamond Creek has been particularly problematic, along with Forest Service Road 226 near Chloride.

Visitors must remember to always use caution on wet roadways. Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control and possibly stalling. Even larger vehicles are at risk of sinking and getting stuck in many areas across the Forest. A mere 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars, and just 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks. Turn Around, Don't Drown!