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South Fork & Salt Fire PIO Map for July 2, 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 | Tue, 07/02/2024 - 16:31 |
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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, 85% containment The Salt Fire is at 7,939 acres, 84% 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: | 608 |
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| Size | 17,569 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 85% |
| 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 shortrange 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: The South Fork Fire has received consistent isolated and scattered precipitation which further suppresses the remaining heat sources. The majority of remaining heat sources on the South Fork Fire are actively charring downed logs located interior of control lines. Salt Fire: The "lower jaw" on the southern flank of Div. Tango on the Salt Fire is the only area with a significant density of adjacent hot spots relatively close to the existing fire perimeter. The hot spots in this location are in a "dirty burn" within a stand of very dense mixed conifer containing multiple snags and a juniper understory. The hot spots within this area continue to smolder and produce small amounts of localized smoke which does not impact nearby roadways and the heat sources themselves are unlikely to grow or threaten lines. |
| Planned Actions |
South Fork Fire: Crews will emphasize constructing direct control lines on the west side of the incident 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: Mop up operations, and suppression repair activities are underway and will continue for the foreseeable future. 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 few remaining consistent heat sources are isolated charred downed logs slowly smoldering more than 100 yards from control lines. These logs pose little to no threat to control lines. 24 hours: Continued smoldering of individual isolated charred logs. Less cloud cover will allow more direct sunlight to affect the burned area allowing for a slight increase in smoldering and consumption of residual heat sources before cloud cover increases in the afternoon along with an elevated chance of scattered rain. Fire behavior is anticipated to remain solely smoldering. Salt Fire 12 hours: The area known colloquially as the "Lower Jaw" contains the majority of the detected heat sources. These heat sources are primarily individual pockets of smoldering duff within a mixed conifer stand and were the result of numerous spot fires during the active growth phase of the Salt Fire during the initial growth period of the fire. The resultant "dirty burn" will continue to smolder and may even begin to creep at a glacial rate, but unless an extended pronounced hot, dry, and windy weather phase establishes over the area, fire behavior more aggressive than smoldering and slow creeping is unlikely. 24 hours: The numerous smoldering patches in the "Lower Jaw" on the southern perimeter are expected to continue smoldering as well as very limited creeping. The area is heavily shaded by closed canopy mixed conifer which also effectively blocks wind. The increased direct sunlight due to lack of cloud cover is offset by the closed canopy which will likely result in no increase or decrease of fire activity. Continued smoldering of deep duff and isolated logs in the "lower jaw". |
| Remarks |
South Fork Fire: The fire area has received significant rainfall for two consecutive days, which caused high flows and severe flooding within the fire perimeter and the Village of Ruidoso. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. Drone flights are also prohibited within this area. Visit https://www.tfr.faa.gov for more information. 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. Salt Fire: The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in effect but has been reduced. 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. SWA Team 5 is managing the Salt Fire. |
| Weather Concerns | South Fork Fire: Sunday brought more numerous showers and thunderstorms over the South Fork Fire. These storms brought long-duration heavy rainfall, resulting in widespread, significant flooding and debris flows off the burn scar. Much of the South Fork footprint received 1-2" of rain. For Monday, healthy monsoon moisture was still in place over the Sacramento mountains. However, southwest steering flow focused scattered storms mainly to the east and north of the fire, for a dry day. Tonight, through Wednesday, a broad western U.S. trough cuts east across the Rockies. This should result in some overnight showers and an increase in daytime storms both days. Temperatures will remain near seasonal averages. Relative humidity recoveries will be very good and nighttime minimums will stay elevated. Salt Fire: Sunday brought more numerous showers and thunderstorms over the Salt fire. These storms brought long- duration heavy rainfall, resulting in widespread, significant flooding and debris flows off the burn scar. A large swath of the Salt fire got 4-6" of rainfall. All resources had to pull off the line; and there was massive urban flooding. For Monday, healthy monsoon moisture was still in place over the Sacramento mountains. Temperatures in the middle and upper 80s, with generally light winds, which were predominately south and southwest. Minimum RH stayed in the 35 to 45 percent range. Adequate moisture remained for another afternoon of showers and thunderstorms over the mountains. However, southwest steering flow focused scattered storm mainly to the east and north of the fire, making Tonight, through Wednesday, a broad western U.S. trough cuts east across the Rockies. This should result in some overnight showers and an increase in daytime storms both days. Temperatures will remain near seasonal averages. Relative humidity recoveries will be very good, and nighttime minimums will stay elevated. Thursday looks like our first dry day in some time, as a boundary pushes through from the northwest and brings in much drier air. RH, rain, and storm potential will drop sharply. Friday, through the weekend, we see the moisture return with another boundary pushing in; this time from the east, with ample gulf moisture. Dewpoints, RH, and storm chances will all rise. |
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