Revised Whitewater-Baldy Emergency Area Closure
Incident: Whitewater Baldy Complex Wildfire
Released: 6/15/2012
Order Number: 06-306
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
FOREST SERVICE
GILA NATIONAL FOREST
RESERVE, WILDERNESS, BLACK RANGE, AND GLENWOOD
RANGER DISTRICTS
WHITEWATER AND BALDY FIRE EMERGENCY AREA CLOSURE
PROHIBITIONS:
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 551, and 36 CFR 261.53 (a), the following acts and omissions are prohibited on the areas, roads, and trails described in this Order, and depicted on the attached map incorporated into this order as Exhibit A, the "restricted area," all within the Reserve, Wilderness, Black Range and Glenwood Ranger Districts, Catron and Grant Counties, Gila National Forest, New Mexico.
1. Going into or being upon the restricted area as described in this order, 36 CFR 261.52(e)
EXEMPTIONS:
Pursuant to 36 CFR 261. 50(e), the following persons are exempt from this order:
1. Persons with a Forest Service permit specifically exempting them from the effect of this Order.
2. Owners or lessees of land in the area for the sole purpose of access to their private land.
3. Residents in the area for the sole purpose of access to their residence.
4. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of any organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of official duty.
AREA DESCRIBED:
Roads closed
- NM 159 (Bursum Road) is closed east of Mogollon to Willow Creek. FR 28 from the junction of FR 142 (Snow Lake Road) and Catron County (CC) Road C021 are closed to Willow Creek. FR 155 from the end of Grant County Road 2-24 to the wilderness boundary.
AREA CLOSED:
All National Forest System lands (NFSL), roads, and trails within the proclaimed boundary of the Gila National Forest (Exhibit A) contained within the Wilderness, Reserve, Black Range and Glenwood Ranger Districts of the Gila National Forest within the following areas:
The area closure begins at the junction of FR 141 and FR 626; though FR 141 is open to public use, the area south of FR 141 is closed. The area closure continues along the east side of FR 626 to Devils Park southwest to Silver Peak and southwest to NM 159 (Bursom Road), thence south of NM 159 and east of NM 180, thence south to the southern forest boundary (east of Aldo Leopold Vista and NM 180), thence following the Gila National Forest boundary to the bottom of T4S;R16&17W;S23 (northwest of the Mogollon Box), thence east following the Wilderness boundary on the west side of NM 15, around the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, private land and Visitors Center, to the East Fork of the Gila River, thence north along the East Fork to the eastern Gila Wilderness Boundary, thence following the Gila Wilderness boundary north and west to Catron County Road C023, thence south of CC Road C021/FR 142 (Snow Lake Road) west to FR 28 junction, thence north along the west side of FR 28 to FR 141.
THE CATWALK NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL IS CLOSED.
THE MOGOLLON BOX, GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS NATIONAL MONUMENT AND THE GILA VISITORS CENTER REMAIN OPEN TO PUBLIC VISITATION.
PURPOSE:
1. The purpose of this order is for public safety.
IMPLEMENTATION:
- This Forest Order 06-306 will go into effect promptly at 6:00 am MDTon Friday, June 15, 2012 and will remain in full force and effect, unless otherwise rescinded, until 12:01 am MDT on December 31, 2012.
- A map identifying the closure area is attached and made part of this Order.
- Order supersedes any previous orders prohibiting the same acts covered by this Order.
- Residents in the area for the sole purpose of access to their residence.
- 4. Any violation of this prohibition is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 for individuals and $10,000.00 for organizations and/or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months. [Title 16 USC 551, Title 18 USC 3885, Title 18 USC 3571, Title 18 USC 3581].
Done at Silver City, New Mexico this 14th day of June, 2012.
Kelly M. Russell
Forest Supervisor
Gila National Forest
Violations of these regulations is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor, by a fine of not more than $5000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months or both; 16 USC � 551, and 18 USC 3559 and 3571.
