Single Publication

Start Date / Time: May 20, 2024, approximately 3:45 p.m.

Cause: Unknown, Under Investigation

Size: 145 acres (Subject to change as more accurate mapping tool are deployed)

Location: 4 miles east of Cloudcroft

Resources: Firefighters from US Forest Service, Volunteer Fire Departments, BLM, State, 2-dozer, 1 helicopter, additional aviation resources (as needed)

Types of vegetation in the area (aka fuels): Mixed Conifer

Containment: 0%

Strategy: Full Suppression

Road Closures: Highway 82 remains closed from the upper junction of Highway 244 to Dry Canyon Road. 

Smoke: Expect smoke to remain visible from Hwy 82, Cloudcroft and surrounding areas.  

Evacuations: All evacuations remain in place. Fire and county officials will reevaluate the need for evacuations today.

GO Status: Areas from mile marker 21-23 on the north side of highway 82 are in mandatory GO status evacuations. This includes Alpine Rd., Hollywood Blvd., Pine Ridge Loop Rd., Wildwood Loop, and all roads connected to these main roads.  

SET Status: Areas on the south side of Highway 82 from mile marker 21-23 are in SET evacuation status. 

For reference the fire is located between mile marker 20-21. Review the national READY, SET, GO evacuation statuses at tinyurl.com/NMForestryREADYSETGO. 

(Evacuations are being handled by Otero County, for updates visit www.facebook.com/people/Tularosa-Basin-Regional-Dispatch-Authority/100091541917115/15.)

Update: The Moser Fire remains at 0% contained this morning; however, containment lines built yesterday held overnight. Crews have built containment lines around approximately 80% of the fire. Containment numbers are expected to increase as fire officials continue securing the fire’s perimeter. Fire activity overnight was minimal due to lower temperatures and higher humidity levels. 

Today crews will continue building direct fire containment lines around the remaining 20% of the fire. They will also be patrolling for any hotspots along the edge of the fire and laying over a mile of fire hose. Once the hoses are in place, water will be pumped to the fire and crews will begin to extinguish hotspots and work their way towards the interior of the fire. 

Donations: Thankfully our firefighters are being well taken care of. Right now, the only donations needed is water or Gatorade, which can be dropped off at the Cloudcroft Fire Department at 1100 James Canyon Highway, Cloudcroft, NM. Thank you to the local businesses who have provided support to the firefighters and evacuees.  

More Information: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LincolnNationalForest 

NM Fire Info: www.NMFireInfo.com

You can expect another update tonight, May 21, 2024.