Whitewater-Baldy News Release June 18,2012
Incident: Whitewater Baldy Complex Wildfire
Released: 6/18/2012
Whitewater-Baldy Complex
News Release
National Incident Management Organization
Fire Information: 575-533-6901, 575-533-6053 (Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Email: whitewaterfire@gmail.com
Website: http://inciweb.org/incident/2870/
Flickr (photos and maps): http://www.flickr.com/photos/gilaforest
Twitter: www.twitter.com/gilaforestPAO
Fire Facts:
Date Started: 05/16/2012
Number of Personnel: 278 including 2 hand crews and 4 camp crews
Cause: Lightning
Size: 296,562 acres (463 square miles)
Equipment: 3 engines, 5 Water Tenders, 1 Dozers
Percent Contained: 80
Aircraft: 5 Helicopters
Yesterday, the fire grew an additional 1,015 acres. This growth was in southeast corner of the fire in Turkey Creek and Watson Canyon. The rest of the increase in the acreage was due to GIS database cleanup of the remaining pockets of unburned fuel within the fire perimeter. All of the chipping along Road 141 between Hulse Ranch and Beaverhead Work Center was completed.
Aircraft will continue to patrol the fire area today. Firefighters continue to prepare for the fire if it reaches Turkey Creek.
There will be a community meeting tonight Monday, June 18 at 6 p.m. in the Glenwood Park. Fire managers will present a summery of suppression progress and Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessments followed by reports by Catron County officials on emergency preparedness.
The management of the fire will return to the Gila Forest on Tuesday June 19, 2012 at 6 p.m.
Through the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, the Forest Service is working with other federal agencies and local, state, and tribal governments to plan, prevent, and safely respond to wildland fires across all lands and jurisdictions.
For additional information regarding the post fire-flood assessment go to the Whitewater-Baldy Complex BAER page at http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2900/.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: If you are planning to visit the Forest, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect. Additional closures are still are in effect in several areas; please go to the Gila National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/gila for current information or contact the Forest directly at 575-388-8201.
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