Pacheco Fire News Release June 30, 2011
Incident: Pacheco Fire Wildfire
Released: 6/30/2011
Fire Information: (505) 473-3760 or (505) 473-3792
7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Acres: 10,116 Start date: June 18, 2011
Cause: Under Investigation Location: 2 miles north of Santa Fe Ski Basin
Containment: 24 percent Fuels: Mixed conifer and Ponderosa pine
Terrain: Steep, rugged Resources: 13 crews, 13 engines, 7 water tenders, 1 dozer
Total personnel: 566 Available air support: 9 helicopters
Summary: Fire activity on the Pacheco Fire was mostly minimal to moderate through the fire area, with two small slop-overs that were contained by crews and helicopters on the north side of the fire. The reduced fire activity allowed crews to continue building direct line on the north, west, and south side of the fire. Crews completed direct line from the Rio Nambe to the northwest corner of the fire, as well as a half mile of additional line along the south flank of the fire. Crews held and improved other existing fire lines and began removing equipment, pulling hose from completed lines, and rehabilitating lines constructed on steep mountain sides. Thunder cell development during the afternoon hours yesterday produced erratic winds while lowering temperatures.
Today firefighters on the west and south sides of the fire will continue to hold and rehabilitate fire lines, and remove equipment no longer needed for suppression activities in that area. Direct line construction and improvement will continue on the north side of the fire. On the southern portion of the fire direct hand line construction and mop-up will proceed toward the northeast.
Pre-monsoonal thunderstorms are predicted to develop in the afternoon hours with a better chance of precipitation, erratic winds, and lightning. Up to 1/10 inch of rain can be expected in small storm footprints. Winds will be from the southwest at 16 to 20 mph, gusting to 30 on the ridges.
Cause: The Santa Fe National Forest is requesting that anyone having knowledge of or having been in the vicinity of the Pacheco Fire (north of Aspen Ranch by the Borrego Trail) between June 17 and June 18 please contact the Santa Fe National Forest at (505) 438-5372.
Threats: The Santa Fe watershed, Santa Fe ski area, Nambe Pueblo lands, Tesuque Pueblo lands and Tesuque Peak communications site remained threatened. No evacuations are in effect.
Smoke: Very little smoke was generated on the Pacheco Fire today however; communities in the region may be impacted by that smoke and that from other fires in the area. Smoke sensitive persons in these areas need to be alert to this possibility and be prepared to take any necessary precautions. For more smoke information and air quality forecasts, please visit the New Mexico Environment Department's website at http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/aqb/WildfireSmokeResources.htm.
Other websites with useful information concerning smoke are:
http://smoke.airfire.org/sw-outlook
http://smoke.airfire.org/sw-outlook/map
http://smoke.airfire.org/sw-monitoring
Road and Fire Area Closure: New Mexico Route 475, also known as Hyde Park Road, and Artist Road are closed at mile post 9, at the Forest boundary. Forest Service Road 102 to Pacheco Road is also closed.
A Fire Area Closure has been enacted. Review it at: www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/conditions/index.html
Open and active: Communities in and around the Santa Fe National Forest remain open and accessible including Tesuque, Pojoaque, Nambe, Santa Fe, and Pecos (including the Highway 63 corridor).
Fire Restrictions: The Santa Fe National Forest remains in Stage III Fire Restrictions across the Forest. Stage III Fire Restrictions restrict access to/use of certain parts of the Forest, yet there are recreational opportunities available. The detailed list of what is off limits (restricted) is now available. For that list please visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/. Open areas will remain under Stage II restrictions.
