Fire managers mount rapid response to first spring wildfire in the Santa Fe National Forest, near Cuba

CUBA — Wildland fire crews deployed to a remote stretch of mountains on the eastern edge of the Santa Fe National Forest on Sunday in response to the forest’s first wildfire this spring, bringing the 18-acre blaze to around 80% containment by Monday afternoon.

The Nacimiento Fire was discovered in the Cuba Ranger District on Sunday morning south of the Nacimiento Mine, and had grown to about 17 acres by the afternoon amid high winds and low relative humidity as a historic heatwave impacted the state last week.

Claudia Brookshire, public affairs specialist for the Santa Fe National Forest, said about 60 fire personnel have been deployed to fight the blaze, including two air tankers, three fire engines — two from the Forest Service and one from Bernalillo County — as well as the Mimbres Hand Crew and Smokey Bear Hotshots from the Lincoln National Forest.

Lighter winds enabled fire crews to make progress toward full containment of the fire on Monday, though hot, dry conditions persist in the area and throughout much of the state.

“We did have large air tankers drop retardant on the fire on Sunday,” Brookshire said in a phone interview Monday afternoon. “That stopped forward progress. They do have containment lines around the fire, and weather is favorable today, which should aid in further strengthening of those containment lines.”

While the precise cause of the fire remains under investigation, the Forest Service believes it to be human caused.

Nearly 85% of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans, according to the National Park Service, often resulting from “campfires left unattended, the burning of debris, equipment use and malfunctions, negligently discarded cigarettes, and intentional acts of arson.”

The National Weather Service recorded a total of 29 wildfires in the state last year, with 186,544 acres burned and the largest blaze estimated at 57,753 acres.

The New Mexico Forestry Division called on private property owners last week to take precautions to protect their homes and land in light of “an exceptionally dry fire season,” and the Gila National Forest also entered Stage 1 fire restrictions, prohibiting campfires and stove fires.

While no fire restrictions are currently in place in the Santa Fe National Forest, Brookshire said the Forest Service is now assessing its criteria to put its own restrictions into place in view of Sunday’s fire start and continued warm, dry conditions throughout the state.

While the state’s pattern of aridity is expected to continue this week in most areas, a 20-50% chance of rain showers was forecast for Cuba next Saturday through Sunday.

John Miller is the Journal’s northern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at jmiller@abqjournal.com.