Single Publication

Crews Utilize Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics to Continue to Suppress The Black Feather Fire 

Update: Sunday, August 20, 2023
 

Acres: 2,198 acres 

Start Date: August 5, 2023 

Cause: Lightning  

Fuels: Timber, Brush, Understory 

Containment: 28% 

Resources: 155 personnel 

Location: Approximately 9 miles south of Gallina, NM, on the Santa Fe National Forest, Coyote Ranger District. Near the Peñas Negras Trail in the San Pedro Parks Wilderness.   

Highlights: Crews continued their work on the Black Feather Fire, with hotshot crews accessing areas in the wilderness and identifying and utilizing available suppression options as they become available. Firefighters on the eastern edge of the fire, just outside of the wilderness, worked on suppression repair, where chipping and road improvement operations are nearly complete.  

Operations: Today, suppression efforts, as well as suppression repair, will continue. Areas identified as safe for firefighters to work, with active fire behavior or containment line opportunities, will be prioritized in the wilderness as fire managers utilize Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST) to effectively meet suppression and resource objectives with the least environmental, cultural, and social impacts possible. Incident objectives remain focused on firefighter safety while protecting property, infrastructure, and other values at risk, including timber and watershed.  

Safety: Equipment and fire crews are actively moving in and around the fire area. Please continue to stay away from the locations impacted by the fire. The Temporary Flight Restriction is still in place. Please do not fly drones anywhere near the fire. If you fly, we can’t fly. 

Weather: Winds out of the south to southeast are expected, with strong gusts possible in the afternoon. Moderate humidity recovery with improvement into Monday, when chances for precipitation will increase slightly and continue to trend up on Tuesday.  

Restrictions/Closures: The Santa Fe National Forest has issued an area, road, and trail closure in part of the Coyote Ranger District. See  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/santafe/alerts-notices/?aid=82412 for information and a corresponding map. Forest Road 103 is closed to non-residential traffic. Closures will be adjusted based on fire activity.   

Smoke: Variations in temperatures and humidity will impact smoke conditions in the coming days and weeks. Smoke may be more and less visible in the area as active smoldering takes place. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Air quality information is available at https://www.airnow.gov/ 

Evacuations:  The communities of Mesa Pinabetal, Mesa Poleo, and Wetherill remain in ‘Ready’ status. The Coyote Senior Center is open to evacuees, and livestock can be taken to the Rio Arriba Rural Event Center near Abiquiu. The Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office will coordinate evacuations if they go into effect. For more information, use the QR code below and visit the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079688263048.  

Fire Information: 505-460-0499 – 2023.blackfeather@firenet.gov  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackfeatherfireinfo 

New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/