Bear Springs Fire
Incident: Bear Spring Fire Wildfire
Released: 6/6/2012
Bear Springs Fire
June 6, 2012 - 12 Noon
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Start Time/Date 6:36 p.m. on Sunday, June 3, 2012
Location: Jemez Ranger District, Santa Fe NF; 6 miles NE of Ponderosa, NM and 6 miles SE of Jemez Springs, NM.
Legal Description: T17N, R4E, SWNE Sec 31
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Mixed conifer, ponderosa pine
Size: 580 acres, increase due to completed burn out operations and better mapping
Containment: 10 %
Resources Committed: 190 Personnel 4 Type 1 crews, 3 Type 2 crews, 3 engines, 1 Type 1 helicopter,
3 Type 3 helicopters, 2 water tenders, 2 dozers
Today's Weather: 82 degrees, mostly sunny, relative humidity 14%, winds southwest 11 mph
Structures/threats: Cultural Resources and Historic Structures
Evacuations: None
Road Closures: FR 266
Closures: Paliza Campground is closed
Fire Restrictions: Forest users are reminded that Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in place on the entire Santa Fe National Forest, the Valles Caldera National Preserve, and NM Dept. of Game and Fish lands.
Summary: The Incident Commander has just reported that today's low intensity burnout operation was successfully completed and the fire is doing well. "Successful execution of this operation will be a great stride toward containing the fire," said Incident Commander Paul Delmerico.
The fire is expected to back slowly downhill to containment lines. Burnout operations are used to reduce or remove fuels that are in-between containment lines and the active fire. Firefighters will spend the rest of afternoon holding containment lines and watching for, and putting out spot fires. Spot fires could start in unburned vegetation from embers.
Smoke is currently visible and from NM 550, NM 4, I-25 and US 285. Transport winds this afternoon will be from the southwest, causing smoke to drift to the northeast towards Los Alamos. Information on wildland fire smoke and your health can be found on the New Mexico Department of Health's website at:http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/aqb/documents/Health Effects Smoke 06152010.pdf.
Heli-tankers are available today to drop retardant if necessary.
Southeast winds this morning will switch to the southwest this afternoon, and chance of thunderstorms or precipitation is virtually nonexistent. Breezy west to southwest winds and humidity in the single digits will continue over the next couple of days. Today is the best opportunity to complete the burnout operations.
