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.
KINGSTON – The NMDOT and the Gila National Forrest Service are closing NM 152 “Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway” beginning Tuesday, June 2 at 8 a.m. due to the
Trails, roads closed as Gila wildfires continue
Fire burns 11 miles west of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
SILVER CITY – The Johnson Fire burning in the Gila National Forest nearly doubled in size this week, while the Doagy Fire generally held steady in size and increased in perimeter containment.
The Johnson Fire, 11 miles west of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, is burning an estimated 13,417 acres of forest land as of Thursday, according to the U.S. Forest Service. This is a 6,117-acre increase since Tuesday with no reported perimeter containment. Fire behavior has been moderate with wind-driven runs, backing and flanking.