June 4, 2021
Exceptional drought brings early heat to 2021 wildfire season Written by Nickolas Seibel on June 4, 2021
(Photo Courtesy of the USFS)
A plane from the Silver City Aerial Fire Base’s arsenal drops 750 gallons during a recent practice run.
By STEPHEN DUMAS
Daily Press Correspondent
It’s summertime in southwest New Mexico, and that means backyard barbecues, trips to cool off in the river and outdoor markets that are starting to return to normal. It also most certainly means that it’s wildfire season, and there are already dangerous conditions in nearby forests that are a tinderbox waiting to ignite.
With state rainfall drastically down, humidity dropping into the single digits and daily temperatures rising, fires are already consuming wilderness and National Forest lands.
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GILA NATIONAL FOREST – Full perimeter containment was reached this week on the Doagy Fire burning in the Gila National Forest while the Johnson Fire grew over 7,000 additional acres since Tuesday.
The national forest released the final update for the Doagy Fire Thursday morning, barring any significant developments. The wildfire was ignited by lightning May 14 and is located northeast of Beaverhead Administrative Site in Catron County.
Size has maintained at 12,785 acres with crews reaching 100% perimeter containment. Pockets of unburned fuel within the perimeter will continue to smolder until the forest receives significant moisture. Smoke will also remain visible.
Crews will continue to monitor the fire and ensure community and environmental safety. There is a chance for showers and thunderstorms through Sunday with weather expected to generally be warm and breezy. Conditions will be warm and dry going into next week with low humidity.
SILVER CITY, N.M. – Three new wildfires started burning in the Gila National Forest this week impacting several hundred acres of land.
The Johnson Fire started May 20 by lightning about 11 miles west of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Fire activity is moderate, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire is roughly 250 acres in size with the potential to grow 200 more acres. Firefighter objectives include ensuring safety for the public and fire personnel as well as allowing the fire to burn in the forest naturally.
The Drummond and Trujillo Fires started May 19 by lightning. They are burning several acres near Emory Pass. They are burning in the 2013 Silver Fire scar, in an area dangerous for firefighters to navigate. Personnel are monitoring the activity from Emory Pass and working to ensure the fire stays south of New Mexico Highway 152. The strategy is ultimately full suppression.