Single Publication

Bear Trap Fire Final Update May 30, 2022  

Acres: 38,225 acres

Containment: 82%

Cause: Undetermined

Total Personnel: 273

Start Date: May 1, 2022

Location: San Mateo Mountains, Magdalena Ranger District, Socorro County, NM

Fuels: Pine, Pinyon-Juniper and Grass 

Highlights: Fire lines continued to hold strong despite having the highest wind speeds in the last 11 days, gusting at 35 mph. The fire is 82 percent contained and firefighters will continue mopping up and extinguishing smoldering stumps while also monitoring any potential hot spots. Firefighters will be available for initial attack if any pop-ups or new starts occur.  This will be the final update on the Bear Trap Fire from California Incident Management Team 10 as command of the fire will be transitioned back to the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands.

Operations: On the southeastern portion of the Bear Trap Fire, crews continue suppression efforts and have removed all excess equipment. Chipping operations will continue through the next few days on the southwestern portion of the fire. There is good mop up around the perimeter of the fire with no smokes or lingering hot spots near the line. Suppression repair is ongoing throughout all areas of the fire. For further information, the daily operational briefing can be found on the Cibola National Forest Facebook page. 

Weather: Another Red Flag Warning is in effect today. Temperatures will be a few degrees cooler, in the mid 70s with winds gusting by late morning at 25 mph out of the west/southwest. Forecasts call for low humidity bottoming out around 6 to 8 percent. Winds will begin to relax Tuesday gusting in the 20s. Visitors to the area are still encouraged to monitor the weather and be cautious during this critical fire situation.
 
Closures and Restrictions: The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands (NF & NGs) have issued a fire area, road and trail closure (No. 03-0728) to protect public health and safety during fire operations on the Bear Trap Fire. This closure order expands the previous closure area to provide for continued firefighter safety during wildland fire suppression and emergency operations. This order supersedes the previous order No. 03-0726. Based on high fire danger and severe fire weather conditions, the Cibola NF & NGs have also implemented Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on the Magdalena Ranger District (No. 03-0724). Both closure orders and maps are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/cibola/alerts-notices. 

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

Smoke: Smoke from the Bear Trap Fire and other nearby fires might be visible in the areas of Alamo, Datil, Magdalena, Socorro, Winston, and San Antonio, NM. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found at the New Mexico Department of Health Environmental Public Health Tracking website: nmtracking.org. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire updates are posted on InciWeb, Cibola NF & NGs website, Facebook and Twitter pages, the NM Fire Information website. Email: 2022.beartrap@firenet.gov • Phone: (928) 362-2906 • Office Hours: 8 AM – 8 PM