URL: http://www.abqjournal.com/fire/pmfires06-03-02.htm

June 3, 2002
Fires Burn Thousands Of Acres In Northeastern N.M.
The Associated Press     CIMARRON, N.M.   —   Lightning has sparked at least five fires that have charred nearly 10,000 acres of bone-dry forest in northeastern New Mexico.
    One of the fires, the Spring Fire on the Vermejo Park Ranch, burned 2,000 to 3,000 acres before combining with a blaze in southeastern Colorado that threatened a methane gas field.
    The fire in northeastern New Mexico crossed into Colorado late Sunday and merged with the Tercio fire. The two fires burned 13,000 acres of mixed conifer and ponderosa pine trees, officials in the two states said.
    The village of Lorencito, Colo., was given an evacuation warning because the fire in Colorado's Las Animas County seven miles west of Trinidad was jeopardizing about 300 methane gas wells. About 300 firefighters were en route to help battle the blaze.
    Elsewhere, a complex of three fires burned up to 6,500 acres on northern New Mexico's Philmont Scout Ranch as of Monday, said Terri Wildermuth, state Forestry Division spokeswoman.
    "The lightning storm that went through on Saturday is pretty much responsible for all the fires," she said.
    None of the New Mexico fires was threatening structures and no injuries had been reported.
    Firefighting efforts were hampered Sunday by strong wind, rugged terrain and a shortage of firefighters as blazes ravaged through the drought-stricken western states of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah.
    Bulldozers and a helicopter helped firefighters tackle the Spring Fire on the New Mexico-Colorado border.
    Crews were working on a bulldozer line on the New Mexico side.
    "They're working on that to see if we can hold it this afternoon because they're expecting winds," Wildermuth said. The fire was burning parched mixed conifer and ponderosa pine trees, she said.
    Officials have requested additional firefighters, air tankers and three more helicopters, Wildermuth said.
    The fires on the scout ranch   —   the Metcalf, Middle Ponil and Office   —   were burning ponderosa pine, pinon and juniper trees, Wildermuth said.
    The Middle Ponil had burned about 3,000 acres, the Office 2,500 to 3,000 and the Metcalf about 500, she said.
    Officials have asked for firefighters and equipment for the Philmont fires, but it could be Tuesday before resources arrive, Wildermuth said.
    "There's a lot of fires going on. It's really in the backcountry of the Philmont ranch," she said.
    Hikers and staff members at the scout ranch were not in danger from the fires on the ranch's north country, Philmont officials said.
    Philmont's staff "is in training now, preparing for the summer. We have them all in our south country, where we do not have any active fire. That's miles away," said Keith Gallaway, general manager of the 220-square-mile Philmont.
    The fires were burning around an old horse camp, which includes log buildings, maintenance sheds and corrals dating to the 1930s, he said.
    "At this point, we don't think we've had any structural damage on the Philmont," he said.
    The fires are eight or nine miles northwest of Philmont's base camp operations, Gallaway said. Wildermuth said the ranch has stationed engines at the camp threatened by the Middle Ponil.
    Philmont will start its backcountry program June 9, when up to 350 Boy Scouts at a time go on 12-day hikes, Gallaway said. The last hike for the summer will be in late August, he said.
    "We'll certainly have to adjust schedules and itineraries" because of the fires, Gallaway said. "We will have no campfires this summer in the backcountry."
    A fifth fire, the Turkey Fire, burned about 30 acres of mixed conifer and ponderosa pines on the Vermejo Ranch in Cimarron Canyon four to five miles northwest of Cimarron, Wildermuth said. A helicopter was dropping water on that blaze with huge buckets, she said.
    The Borrego Fire, near Truchas in northern New Mexico, was contained at 12,850 acres, officials said Sunday. The fire was reported May 22 and at one point prompted a voluntary evacuation of Truchas.
    Investigators were trying to pinpoint the cause of the blaze while about 380 firefighters continued mop up work.