Specific Areas Within Whitewater-Baldy Fire Open Up
Incident: Whitewater Baldy Complex Wildfire
Released: 6/30/2012
Order Number: 06-307
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
· Bursum Road (State Highway 159) is closed east of Mogollon to Willow Creek.
· Forest Road (FR) 28 from the junction ofFR 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.
Trails closed:
· Forest Trail (FT)814 is closed
· FT 151 is closed from White Creek Cabin south toFT 28.
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 FR141 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 (Bursum Road), thence south of NM 159 and east of NM 180, thence south to the
southern forest boundary (east of A/do Leopold Vista and NM 180), thence following
the Gila National Forest boundary to the Wilderness boundary at Mogollon Creek,
then following the Wilderness boundary to 7 4 Mountain Trailhead, FT 153 from the
TH toFT 301 is open but the area north and west of it is closed, FT301from FT 153
to FT158 is open but the area north of it is closed, FT 158from FT 301 toFT 155 is
open but the area west of it is closed, FT 155 from FT 158 toFT 151 at the West Fork
Gila river is open but the area west of it is closed, FT 151 and the West Fork Gila
River is closed from FT 155 to the Wilderness boundary at Willow Creek, then east
along Willow Creek toFT 157, then east along FT 157 to the Wilderness boundary at
the Middle Fork Gila River, then east along the Wilderness boundary to FR 142A,
then to FR 141 (Snow Lake Road, west to FR 28 junction, thence north along the west
side ofFR 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:
1. This Forest Order 06-307 will go into effect promptly at 6:00am on Saturday,
June 30, 2012 and will remain in full force and effect, unless otherwise rescinded,
until12:01 am on December 31, 2012.
2. A map identifying the closure area is attached and made part of this Order.
3. Order supersedes any previous orders prohibiting the same acts covered by this
Order
Done at Silver City, New Mexico this 28th day of June, 2012.
(
Forest Supervisor
Gila National Forest
Violations ofthese regulations is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor, by a fme 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.
