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PIO Map for the South Fork and Salt Fire June 27, 2024
Originating on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, the South Fork and Salt fires started on Monday, June 17, 2024. The South Fork Fire was reported at 9:07 A.M. MDT and the Salt Fire was reported at 2:00 P.M. MDT. The South Fork Fire, threatening the community of Ruidoso, New Mexico, reached 15,000 acres within 24 hours and as of 3:00 P.M. on Tuesday, June 18, is under evacuation orders. Both fires are burning timber and mixed conifer threatening the community of Ruidoso, NM. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Mescalero Agency responded immediately with local wildland firefighters from across multiple agencies and jurisdictions, exercising full suppression response.
| Current as of | Thu, 06/27/2024 - 11:34 |
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| Incident Time Zone | America/Denver |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Under investigation |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | Ruidoso, NM area |
| Incident Commander | Southwest Area Team 5, led by Incident Commander Dave Gesser, assumed command of the South Fork and Salt fires at 6:00AM, Wednesday, June 19, 2024. |
| Incident Description | The South Fork Fire is at 17,569 acres, 69% containment The Salt Fire is at 7,939 acres, 66% containment Both fires are located in the vicinity of: Ruidoso, NM Resources: Crews, heavy equipment, engines, helicopters and air tankers. |
| Coordinates |
33° 22' 16'' Latitude
-105° 45' 58
'' Longitude
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| Total Personnel: | 900 |
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| Size | 17,569 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 69% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 07/15/2024 |
| Fuels Involved | Brush, Hardwood Litter and Timber. South Fork Fire: Fuels include short grass meadows, oak brush, pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine, slash, and spruce/fir. Large diameter fuels are dry for the time of year due to the continuation of the long-term drought affecting the area. Where dead/down fuels exist beneath live canopies, the dead fuel acts as surrogate ladder fuels and a source of significant heat to ignite canopies and result in group torching and short-range ember wash. Salt Fire: Large diameter fuels are dry for the time of year due to the continuation of the long-term drought affecting the area. Where dead/down fuels exist beneath live canopies, the dead fuel acts as surrogate ladder fuels and a source of significant heat to ignite canopies and result in group torching and shortrange ember wash. Typical fuels include short grass meadows, oak brush, pinyon-juniper, Ponderosa pine, slash, and spruce/fir. |
| Significant Events | South Fork Fire: Morning sunshine and moderate humidity levels were supplanted by widespread cloud cover and scattered showers before noon. Fire behavior over the South Fork Fire remained limited, smoldering in deep duff protected by closed canopy mixed conifer, snags, and stumps which continue smoldering from the previous burn periods. Salt Fire: Morning sunshine and moderate humidity levels were supplanted by widespread cloud cover and scattered showers before noon. Fire behavior over the Salt Fire remained limited smoldering in deep duff protected by closed canopy mixed conifer, snags, and stumps which continue smoldering from the previous burn periods. |
| Planned Actions |
South Fork Fire: Crews will emphasize constructing direct control lines to protect values at risk and increase containment. Mop up along established control lines is underway and will continue for the foreseeable future. Suppression repair work on constructed containment lines will begin where appropriate and where access is possible. Structure assessments will continue. Assigned personnel will provide initial attack response to any new starts within the TFR. Crews are also assisting utility cooperators in gaining access to damaged areas. Salt Fire: Crews will emphasize constructing direct control line where needed, to protect values at risk and increase containment. Mop up operations are underway and will continue for the foreseeable future. Structure and damage assessments will continue. Suppression repair will begin as weather and access allows. Assigned personnel will provide initial attack response to any new starts within the TFR. |
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| Projected Incident Activity |
South Fork Fire 12 hours: The weather forecast calls for widespread heavy cloud cover and increasing humidity through the afternoon, evening, and overnight hours. Fire behavior will respond accordingly by decreasing to passive smoldering with little smoke production. 24 hours: The persistent monsoonal pattern with light winds, moderate humidity, and scattered showers will again limit fire behavior. Continued smoldering in isolated pockets of heat is expected, but with poor efficiency. Limited to no lateral growth beyond the immediate proximity of the isolated smoldering areas is expected. Salt Fire 12 hours: The weather forecast calls for widespread heavy cloud cover and increasing humidity through the afternoon, evening, and overnight hours. Fire behavior will respond accordingly by decreasing down to passive smoldering with little smoke production 24 hours: The persistent monsoonal pattern with light winds, moderate humidity, and scattered showers will again limit fire behavior. Continued smoldering in isolated pockets of heat is expected, but with poor efficiency. Limited, to no lateral growth beyond the immediate proximity of the isolated smoldering areas is expected. |
| Remarks |
South Fork Fire: All evacuation orders have been lifted. However, designated "NO ENTRY/EXCLUSION ZONES" remain in place for some areas within the Village of Ruidoso (www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire). Road and trail closures are in effect throughout the fire area although some closures have been rescinded. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in place over the fire area. Drone flights are also prohibited A South Fork Fire Emergency Closure Order is in place for national forest lands within the Smokey Bear Ranger District. The identified areas, and roads and trails therein, are closed to public access to provide enhanced safety of firefighting personnel and the public. The Lincoln National Forest has also implemented forest-wide Stage II fire restrictions. For more information, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln. SWA Team 5 is also managing the Salt Fire. Precipitation occurred over the fire area yesterday. Salt Fire: Evacuations orders were lifted by Lincoln County emergency management personnel over the weekend. Visit www.lincolncountynm.gov more information. The Village of Ruidoso has lifted the evacuation. Visit www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire for more information. The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) has been reduced over the fire area. Visit https://www.tfr.faa.gov for more information. Drone flights are also prohibited within this area. A South Fork Fire Emergency Closure Order was issued on 6/20/2024 for national forest lands within the Smokey Bear Ranger District. The identified areas, and roads and trails therein, are closed to public access to provide enhanced safety of firefighting personnel and the public. The Lincoln National Forest has also implemented forest-wide Stage II fire restrictions. For more information, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln. Reduced acreage due to more accurate mapping. SWA Team 5 is managing the Salt Fire. |
| Weather Concerns | South Fork Fire: Broad high pressure across the region has trended temperatures warmer and humidity drier the past two days. The result has been a reduction in the amount of showers, thunderstorms, and rain over the fire scars. Yesterday, the South Fork Fire got only light sprinkles. Today an approaching short-wave disturbance aloft pushed increased moisture back over the fire and added instability and dynamics to the atmosphere. A sunny morning warmed the region and helped to trigger early development of shower and thunderstorms. Storms formed over the western end of the South Fork Fire, with an extended duration of moderate to heavy rain over Div A. This evening and overnight, lighter showers and possibly a few isolated weak thunderstorms are likely to move over the fire from the southeast, as today's disturbance starts to track out of the area. Tomorrow, a second, weak impulse moves over, much like today's disturbance. Another round of developing storms is likely to form just east of the fire early and then late day storms will move in from the west. The area should have somewhat fewer clouds, allowing for warmer temperatures. Relative Humidity will fall again, with afternoon minimums in the 30 percent range. Friday looks like a "down" day with storms still possible but with lesser coverage across the region. Through the weekend, monsoon moisture stays entrenched over the fires. This means relative humidity will remain elevated, and each day will see isolated to scattered storms across the region. Salt Fire: Broad high pressure across the region has trended temperatures warmer and humidity drier the past two days. We've also seen a large, and welcome, reduction in the amount of showers, thunderstorms, and rain over the fire scars. Yesterday the Salt fire got only light sprinkles. Today an approaching short-wave disturbance aloft pushed increased moisture back over the fire and added instability and dynamics to the atmosphere. A sunny morning warmed the region and helped to trigger early development of showers and thunderstorms. Storms formed to the south and built north over the west end of the Salt fire, with heavy rain and very little movement. This evening and overnight, we will likely continue to see lighter showers and possibly a few isolated weak thunderstorms mostly over the fire from the southeast, as today's disturbance starts to track out of the area. Tomorrow, a second, weak impulse moves over, much like today's disturbance. We should see another round of developing storms. Likely forming just east of the fire area, and then late day storms moving in from the west. We should have somewhat fewer clouds, allowing for warmer temperatures. Relative Humidity will fall again, with afternoon minimums in the 30 percent range. Friday looks like a "down" day with storms still possible, and expected across the region, but with lesser coverage. Through the weekend, monsoon moisture stays entrenched over the fire. This means relative humidity will remain elevated, and each day will see isolated to scattered storms across the region. |
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