Single Publication

Acres: 5,487 Start Date: May 19, 2024 

Location: 7 miles north of the village of Coyote, 

NM Personnel: 553 

Completion: 5%  

Fuels: Timber 

Highlights: Fire managers have updated their assessment of accomplishments and increased to 5% completion of operational objectives for the Indios Fire. The incident management team will provide an opportunity for the public to meet with fire managers and ask questions about the Indios Fire at an open house on Thursday, May 30, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the lecture hall at the Coronado High School, 1903 NM-96, Gallina, NM.  

Operations: Yesterday, firefighters observed increased fire activity on the western side due to light winds, warmer temperatures, and drier conditions. Aircraft with infrared sensors flew at 16,000 feet above ground level to detect and monitor fire growth to inform firefighting actions. The fire moved south down the interior edge of the fire area while crews worked to strategically apply a low intensity burn ahead of the main fire to prevent southern movement past Forest Road 77. Fire behavior specialists predict the fire will continue to slowly advance through the planned confinement area as the fire naturally aligns with winds and deep canyons. Firefighters are using several helicopters to drop water to cool the fire’s intensity, slow its progress, and reduce smoke impacts. As crews continue working, Resource Advisors are assisting firefighters in identifying and avoiding impacts to sensitive cultural and wildlife resources. To minimize dust impacts to communities, fire engines are applying water to highly traveled dirt roads, including Forest Road 8.  

Weather: Humidity increased significantly overnight, however, as temperatures increase later today, conditions are expected to dry out. Along with potential thunderstorm activity over northeastern New Mexico, these conditions are expected to bring increased winds and a 10% chance of precipitation in the fire area today.  

Smoke: Smoke from the Indios Fire is visible from surrounding communities. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Learn more about smoke impacts on the New Mexico Environment Department website at https://www.env.nm.gov/air-quality/fire-smoke-links/. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. Daily smoke reports are posted on Inciweb and the social media pages below. 

Closures: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued an emergency area closure for the Indios Fire. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety and the safety of all personnel working on the fire. The full closure order (No. 03-12-05-23-22) and map are available on Inciweb. Camping and water will be available at the Coyote Ranger Station for Continental Divide Trail hikers impacted by this closure.  

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should stay away from Indios Fire operations. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft systems or drones. More information on the dangers drones pose to wildland firefighting aircraft and personnel on the ground can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/.  

More Information: inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmsnf-indios-wildfire /  

575-323-2290 / x.com/SantafeNF / facebook.com/santafeNF / 2024.indios@firenet.gov