Resources Responding to The Horse Canyon Fire
Incident: Horse Canyon Wildfire
Released: 6/30/2012
For Immediate Release: Fire Information - (915) 964-8452
Saturday, Jun 30, 2012 http://www.incweb.org/; nmfireinfo.com
Detected: Friday, June 29, 2012 Containment: 0% percent
Location: Guadalupe Ranger District, Lincoln NF Fuel Type: Pinon, Juniper, Grass, and Brush
Cause: Lightning Injuries: 0
A public meeting was held at 7:00 PM on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at the Queen Volunteer Fire Department. Public meetings will be held every evening at 7:00 PM at the Queen Volunteer Fire Department.
Summary: The Pecos Zone Type III Team took over management of the fire this afternoon at 2:00 pm from the local unit. The Horse Canyon Fire was discovered on Friday, June 29, 2012 by personnel on the Lincoln National Forest who responded and engaged in suppression activities immediately. The fire is burning in steep rugged terrain with limited access by vehicle. Due to the inaccessible nature of the fire, indirect fire suppression tactics will be used to suppress the fire. Crews have begun a burnout operation along Forest Road 527 and will continue through the evening.
A burnout is a strategic tactic of intentionally setting fire inside control lines to consume fuels between the control line and the active edge of the fire, reducing the likelihood that the main fire will cross the containment line. Burning out is a common fire suppression tactic, allowing firefighters to manage fire on their terms with advanced planning and preparation. By analyzing weather, terrain and other fire behavior indicators, burnout operations are a safe and effective way to protect our communities and forests.
The intention of the burnout operation is to tie the current fire into the Serpentine Fire scar of 2011. Additional resources have been ordered and are enroute to the fire.
Today's weather: Partly cloudy with a chance of afternoon isolated showers or thunderstorms. Temp: 90-95 Wind: S/SE 4-9
Current Size: estimated at 2,000 acres
Structures destroyed: 0
Road Closures: Forest Road 527 at NM 137, Forest Road 527 at 69 (Cougar Road), 5530 at 5530A (North Well Road)
Resources Committed:
Crews
2
Engines
6
Dozers
0
Helicopters
1
Watertenders
0
Total Personnel
118
Values at Risk: The community of Queen with 60 residences and 4 commercial buildings are threatened. In
addition to the following; a communications site for Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the historical Carlsbad Caverns Putnam Cabin. Protecting these sites is a high priority of suppression activities. Other values at risk include: watershed, grazing lands, livestock, and water supply lines.
Information on wildland fire smoke and your health can be found on the New Mexico Department of Health's website at: https://nmtracking.unm.edu/eh alerts/, or call the New Mexico statewide health line at (877) 304-4161.
As the monsoons approach, heavy rainfall may produce flash floods. The National Weather Service Advisories are available at: http://www.weather.gov/abq.
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