SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
Location:
· Española Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest
· Approximately 3 miles east of the Camp Frank Rand Boy Scout Camp near Cerro Piñon and Cañon Chimayo and southwest of Santa Cruz Lake.
Start Date: Smoke was first reported at approximately 4:15 p.m. on June 10, 2017
Size: Estimated at approximately 2.5 acres from the air
Percent Contained: 0%
Cause: Unknown, under investigation
Growth Potential: High
Vegetation: Ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir
Summary: Due to the Medio Fire’s remote location west of the Pecos Wilderness, fire crews had to hike in and arrived on scene at approximately 12:00 p.m. today. But Santa Fe Helitack’s Type 3 helicopter made multiple bucket drops over the fire throughout the morning, keeping it at approximately 2.5 acres and reducing the smoke coming off the hill. From the air, Helitack personnel reported at 9:00 a.m. today that the fire was smoldering and creeping with open flames in the southwest corner. To date, the Medio Fire has not moved into the Rito Gallina drainage or the Pecos Wilderness.
The potential for growth is high because of the terrain and heavy fuel loads. Fire managers are assessing suppression strategies.
Values threatened include a cabin located approximately 1.5 miles southwest of the Medio Fire on the Agua Sarca Trail, Trail 228. The Santa Fe National Forest has closed the trail for the duration of the fire.
Weather: Critical fire weather conditions with strong wind and low humidity. Maximum temperatures above 8,000 feet in the mid 70s, with 0% chance of precipitation. Low-level moisture late this week could lead to thunderstorms over the central mountains.
Resources Assigned:
· Santa Fe Helitack with 1 Type 3 helicopter
· 2 engines with a total of 8 personnel
· Santa Fe County’s Black Canyon Hand Crew with 10 personnel
Smoke: Smoke from the Medio Fire may be visible from Española, Pojoaque, Nambe, Tesuque and Santa Fe. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.
Drones: Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones, are a serious impediment to wildland firefighting. If a drone is spotted near a wildfire, all aircraft will be grounded for safety reasons, putting firefighter safety at risk and stopping suppression efforts. Visit https://www.nifc.gov/drones/ for more information.
Fire Information: Updates will be posted on the New Mexico Fire Information website at nmfireinfo.com and on @SantaFeNFand www.facebook.com/SantaFeNF.
