Single Publication

Fire activity remains low on the Ridge Fire

Daily Update – Friday, July 12, 2024

Acres: 2,245                                                                           

Start Date: 7/4/2024

Location: 19 miles east of Glenwood, NM                           

Personnel: 290

Containment: 0%                                                                  

Fuels: Timber, grass, understory

Highlights: Fire activity was limited yesterday by increased moisture around the Ridge Fire area. Minimal fire activity is expected again today as relative humidity remains high. To provide information and answer questions about the Ridge Fire, the Southwest Incident Management Team 4 will host a community open house at the Willow Creek Ranch, located at 257 Willow Creek Road, on Saturday, July 13, from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Operations: Despite thunderstorms in the area, little moisture fell directly on the fire yesterday. The fire continued to burn with low intensity to the south and east through the Gila Wilderness. In the Iron Creek drainage, fire slowly backed down the slopes toward Cooper Canyon, producing beneficial fire effects on the landscape. To the east, firefighters observed the fire smoldering along the forest floor with very minimal open flame. Several crews worked in the Willow Creek area, improving planned containment lines along Trail #151 (West Fork Trail) and handlines to the west and south of the Willow Creek subdivision. Additional crews and engines arrived to support fire operations in this area, spending the day collecting information to inform their suppression strategy. Today, the fire is expected to slowly burn through dead and downed logs from past wildfires, particularly in areas that do not receive rain. Firefighters will continue to focus their efforts on preventing fire spread to the west using handlines and the West Fork Trail to minimize impacts to values in Iron Creek and Willow Creek. 

 Weather: Scattered thunderstorms moved through the area yesterday. Friday morning will have clear skies with light and variable winds increasing to 5 to 10 mph by afternoon. Thunderstorm activity will

be limited to isolated cells off the higher mountain tops in the early afternoon. 

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Mogollon, Willow Creek, and Snow Lake. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. 

Closures: There are currently no closures in place for the Ridge Fire on the Gila National Forest. A closure for affected trails within the fire area is anticipated in the near future. Due to increased firefighter presence in the area, members of the public should stay away from Ridge Fire operations.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft or drones. Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous for pilots and firefighters and can bring wildfire suppression efforts to a halt. Know before you fly. If you fly, we can’t. 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: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmgnf-ridge-fire / 

575-323-8994 / https://www.facebook.com/GilaNForest / 2024.ridge@firenet.gov