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I understand there is a fire in Weed NM. Any news of the size or containment? Any threats to buildings? Its really smokey in alamogordo from it right now, and you can see all the smoke over the mtns.
We noticed the smoke yesterday, here in Timberon, coming up over the north-eastern ridge. The only thing I could find on it yesterday was a brief mention on the NM fire info twitter feed.
They're calling it the Little Lewis fire, it has burned 150 acres, residents of Sacramento and Weed are evacuating. Cloudcroft High School is set up as a shelter.
Source: Little Lewis Fire Information – 6/28/2011 – 9:00 pm « NM Fire Info (http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/little-lewis-fire-information-6282011-800-pm - broken link)
Twitter feed for NM Fire info: http://twitter.com/#!/nmfireinfo
Please post if anyone has other information. The news stations are all involved in the Los Alamos fire and they don't appear to be covering this one.
Source: Little Lewis Fire Information – 6/28/2011 – 9:00 pm « NM Fire Info (http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/little-lewis-fire-information-6282011-800-pm - broken link)
Twitter feed for NM Fire info: http://twitter.com/#!/nmfireinfo
Please post if anyone has other information. The news stations are all involved in the Los Alamos fire and they don't appear to be covering this one.
There are at least FOUR fires now burning in the Sacramento Mountains. The Weed Fire is just one of them. The largest is a fire burning on the east side of US-70 through the Hondo Valley that has, at last count, consumed 15,000 acres - including the ranch owned by former newsman Sam Donaldson, and is named the Donaldson Fire. It began as two separate fires that joined together.
All four fires are thought to have been caused by lightning from a large storm cell that provided very little rain. I believe Cloudcroft got a bit wet.
Dreading the thought of the holiday weekend upcoming when all the tourist flock to the area in spite of the forest closures and severe fire restrictions.
Summary: The fire is actively burning in steep, rocky, terrain southwest of Weed, NM. The fire is burning in the middle of the Scott Able Fire, which burned in 2000. Scott Able timber salvage and harvest treatments have occurred in areas to the north of the fire.
The fire increased in size due to extremely dry conditions and gusty winds. Firefighters are providing structure protection for multiple structures.
Pray for all these firefighters out fighting fires.
Heat prostration must be a real health issue for firefighters all over the SW in the past month. Temps in the Sacramentos have been in the 90-100F range for the past ten days or more.
I heard several instances of injuries yesterday and today, with at least one serious enough to require transport to the trauma center in El Paso. It's been hard to understand what's what with so many fires and agencies on the radio, all seemingly working on different fires. But I think the THREE separate fires on the Mescalero reservation (no names - being called fire one, two and three) are all offshoots of the Donaldson fire and the reason they are not naming them individually (apparently).
Well, it is almost 0100 here in Capitan. The smoke smell is very strong. Awaiting delivery of some livestock that has been evacuated from the Hondo Valley. Hear that the Donaldson is completely out of control. Just pray for rain!!! Also a fire in Salazar canyon between Capitan and Lincoln.
Also a fire in Salazar canyon between Capitan and Lincoln.
Thanks for that info. I've not had any information other than brief statements that "another fire near Capitan." Wondering if this fire is now contained or still burning freely? The road to Baca Campground runs in Salazar canyon and that campground is the focus of yearly July 4th gatherings.
As for the Little Lewis Fire near Cloudcroft, here is the latest news story in the Alamogordo paper this morning:
And according to this news story posted yesterday, the Donaldson Fire near the village of Hondo has now grown to 43,000 acres and still remains at zero containment:
Luckily the winds are NOT forecast to be strong today and the next few days but there is a ten percent chance for additional "dry" thunderstorms each day for the 7-day forecast period! That does not bode well for putting a damper on anything - and additional lightning fires are a certainty if this forecast holds.
Lets all pray that tropical storm down in the Gulf - now over Mexico - pumps SOME moisture this way.
We had a small amount of rain here in Capitan this afternoon. Every bit counts! The Salazar Canyon seems out or at least contained. But thunder this afternoon and hope and pray we won't have other fires started.
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