Tanques Wildfire Update

Location: Northwest corner of the Santa Fe National Forest in the Cuba Ranger District, approximately 27 miles north of Cuba, NM.

Start Date: July 18, 2024

Size: 2,745 acres with a planned perimeter of 7,000 acres

Percent completed: 35%

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: The wildfire is burning in ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper, and oak.

Resources: 36 personnel including aerial resources

Overview: Santa Fe National Forest will manage the fire as a Type 3 incident with a confine and contain strategy. This means crews will manage the fire within a predetermined area (confine) and use points to stop the fire’s spread (contain). To accomplish this strategy, crews will conduct firing operations using aerial and hand ignitions within a 7000-acre planned perimeter as early as July 25 and use roads, hand lines, and natural barriers as containment

lines.

The fire is burning in the Mova National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) project area and a landscape that has been thinned and treated with prescribed fire in the past. The primary objectives for the Tanques Wildfire are to provide for firefighter and public safety and improve wildlife habitat.

Highlights: Fire held within the fire perimeter overnight. Today, aerial ignitions, conducted by a helicopter, continue within the project area. Crews are managing fire activity and preparing for thunderstorms later this evening.

Weather: After a relatively calm night Thursday night, an uptick in afternoon thunderstorm activity in the fire area is forecast Friday through the weekend.

Closure Order: A temporary area and road closure is in effect to protect the public’s health and safety during firefighting operations for the Tanques Wildfire. The closure order is available on the Santa Fe National Forest’s website – Closure Order 03-10-02-24-11. suoity, The el are safety of the ter ques the be are always the hishest prierity Please

dangerous mix and could lead to accidents or slow down wildfire operations. If you fly, we can’t.