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fire
June 18, 2004
New Bosque Fire 50% Contained After Scorching 300 Acres
The Associated Press
Crews battled a wildfire that flared up Friday afternoon in the bosque along the Rio Grande near Belen, while firefighters mopped up hot spots at two other fires that have burned more than 73,000 acres in New Mexico.
A mobile home and an abandoned home burned Friday afternoon as a bosque fire burned along the river near the Valencia and Socorro county lines.
A fire information officer said the fire had burned about 300 acres by late Friday night and was 50 percent contained.
The fire moved through groves of cottonwood trees and other brush among a patchwork of small farms.
State police closed a portion of N.M. 116 for several hours Friday afternoon because of the fire. It was reopened shortly before nightfall.
The blaze prompted officials at the New Mexico Boys Ranch and several homes in the area to voluntarily evacuate. Most had returned home by nightfall.
Firefighters from Valencia and Socorro counties, along with crews from the state Forestry Division and several other departments, were fighting the blaze.
"We have a number of crews on the ground. We have bulldozers headed that way. They'll be trying real hard to get a line around that fire," state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Joanna Prukop said.
Five aircraft, including an aircrane helicopter that can suck water out of the river and another helicopter that scoops water up, were on the fire until it got dark.
"When you're fighting the fire in the bosque right next the river it's real effective," Prukop said of the water-dropping helicopters.
Gov. Bill Richardson was monitoring the fire and activated the state emergency response center in Santa Fe.
"Our strategy is to kill the fire early," Richardson said. He was particularly concerned with "very valuable wildlife" in the area.
The fire danger will be critical in New Mexico for the next several days as drier, warm air dominates the state, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
"This is the time of year when we just hold our breath as we have some of the worst conditions possible including drought-stressed vegetation," said Ken Palmrose, information and prevention officer in Phoenix.
Campfire, smoking and forest access restrictions have been posted across the state.
The Carson National Forest announced Friday that it would impose stricter fire restrictions sooner than expected. Beginning Monday, the northern New Mexico forest will be under Stage II restrictions, which prohibit campfires and limit smoking to enclosed buildings or vehicles.
Forest supervisor Martin Chavez said the restrictions are being implemented for public safety and because of extreme fire hazard conditions on federal lands.
In southern New Mexico, the Bureau of Land Management implemented fire restrictions Friday for the Fort Stanton area. Fireworks are prohibited and a permit is required for campfires or wood stoves in undeveloped camping and picnicking areas.
The Sedgwick Fire, which flared June 12 from a campfire, has scorched 8,600 acres in the Zuni Mountains west of Grants. It was 60 percent contained and a line had been built around the fire's perimeter, said Diane Souder, a fire information officer.
There were 860 people assigned to the fire, along with three helicopters, 18 engines, 15 water tenders and 10 bulldozers.
"We have a lot of firefighters that are starting to demobilize here. That's a good sign," Souder said.
Three juveniles have admitted starting the fire, said Jim Whittington, another fire information officer. Authorities were not releasing the names or ages of the three, who have not been charged.
The Peppin Fire, kindled May 10 by lightning, has blackened 64,448 acres in the Capitan Mountains, six miles northeast of Capitan in south-central New Mexico. It was 95 percent contained, said Steve Bumgarner, incident commander.
"We will continue to have resources working on this fire for some time," he said.
The Peppin Fire is being tackled by 174 people using one helicopter, five engines and one bulldozer.
The fire, which officials said has cost more than $7 million to date, has burned 12 cabins along with piñon, juniper, ponderosa pine and mixed conifer trees in rugged country in the Cibola National Forest.
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