Approximate Location
Incident Overview
Sunday, April 26, 2009 - 5:30 pm - Firefigthers utilized a helicopter for aerial ignitions on Thursday afternoon to treat targeted areas within the perimeter of the project. This allowed firefighters to focus on dense pockets of vegetation that had not be treated during the previous days' activities. The lighting operations on the project are now complete. 15 personnel remain on site to patrol and monitor the area. Smoke impacts in the valley have diminished significantly since Friday.
Thursday, April 23, 2009 - 1:00 pm - Weather conditions are favorable for completing the current phase of the prescribed fire operations on the project. Crews were successful in constructing a "black line" around the perimiter of the 5500 acre project. This activity resulted in treatment of approximatley 1500 acres - with prescribed fire - during the last three days. A helicopter will be used (today) for aerial ignitions to treat pockets of fuel or vegetation that are best treated under controlled conditions. Weather forecasts are calling for an increase in winds on Friday and Saturday and plans to temporarily suspend additional "lighting" activities is in place. Fire personnel will remain on site to patrol and monitor the areas that have been treated with fire. The remaining 4,000 acres to be treated lie within the interior of project. Crews plan to resume prescribed fire operations after May 1st, however, that decision will be contingent on weather and fuel conditions and the availability of resources.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 - 9:00 pm - An additional 500 acres were treated. Firefighters were successful in completing "black lines" along the perimeter of the 5500 acre project area. Weather forecasts are calling for an increase in winds on Friday and Saturday, therefore, fire personnel will focus their efforts on "holding," patrolling and monitoring the areas that have been treated with prescribed fire. Smoke settled in the Mimbres Valley late last night and early this morning, but had dissipated by 11:00 am. Smoke impacts are expected to lessen as fire behavior decreases.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 - 9:00 pm - Fire personnel successfully treated 1,000 acres on the Little McKnight Prescribed Fire project today. Plans are to resume prescribed fire operations on Wednesday, April 22, following a spot weather forecast that will be obtained in the morning. If all conditions are favorable, a test burn will follow -- then the determination will be made as to whether or not crews will continue treating the remaining 4,500 acres within the project boundary. Personnel assigned to the prescribed fire are also monitoring smoke emissions closely. Some smoke may be present in the Mimbres Valley during late night and early morning hours, but is expected to dissipate as daytime temperatures increase. Light winds from the west are expected to be present on Wednesday, which will continue to help keep smoke from settling in the Mimbres Valley and surrounding area.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 - 9:30 am - Prescribed fire operations are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 21 on the Little McKnight prescribed fire project in the Mimbres Valley. The project is located northeast of State Highway 35 in the Mimbres Valley - approximately 25 miles northeast of Silver City, NM. It is estimated that the project may take 3 to 4 days to complete, if weather conditions remain favorable. Fire personnel will be treating a project area of approximately 5,500 acres with prescribed fire by using both hand ignitions and aerial ignitions. Crews will establish a secure "black line" around the perimeter of the project area. Once the line is secure, fire will be applied to fuels within the interior portion of the project. Firefighters expect to see low to moderate fire behavior during the "lighting" phase of the project, due to an abundance of heavy grasses and some dead and down woody material that will be treated.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Prescribed Fire |
|---|---|
| Date of Origin | Tuesday April 21st, 2009 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Location | Northeast of Mimbres, NM |
| Incident Commander | Richard Rodriguez |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 15 |
|---|---|
| Size | 5,500 acres |
| Fuels Involved | Pinon juniper, oak, ponderosa pine, grasses and dead and down woody material. |
| Fire Behavior | Low |
| Significant Events | On Thursday, firefighters utilized a helicopter for aerial ignitions, to apply fire to vegetation within the project boundary. Fire behavior remained low to moderate as the prescribed fire was applied to targeted areas. The application of prescribed fire was effective in treating the remaining acres of the Little McKnight project. Approximately 15 fire personnel are still assigned to the project to patrol and monitor the area. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | To date, 5,500 acres have been treated with prescribed fire and all lighting operations are completed. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | No growth potential is expected beyond the 5500 acre project area perimeter. |
| Terrain Difficulty | Moderate |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 3-10 mph W |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 75-79 degrees |
| Humidity | 21% |
