A hot and dry air mass with stronger winds and lower relative humidity has settled over the Silver Fire resulting in an increase in fire behavior. The fire continues to grow. It now stands at 24,800 acres and remains just five percent contained.
Monday, the fire moved into Railroad Canyon on the northwest side and Carbonate and Rattlesnake Canyons on the northeast side. Fire management officials anticipated these moves and positioned personnel to take action. Hotshot crews are working on the western side of the Silver Fire north of NM Highway 152 to prepare the area for action when it is favorable to engage the fire.
Incident Commander Matt Reidy said that he is “pleased with the progress that firefighters have made in structure protection around key areas such as Kingston and the Royal John Mine. We have selected areas for fireline construction along roads, topography breaks and vegetative changes between pine forests and pinyon juniper woodlands that will provide us the greatest probability of success in fire containment.”
More than 500 firefighters are working the fire. Resources include five helicopters, five 20-person hotshot crews, four 20-person hand crews, 16 engines, two dozers and 11 water tenders.
Several agencies are assisting in the management of the Silver Fire. Cooperators include the Grant and Sierra County Sheriff’s Departments, NM State Police, Las Cruces BLM District, NM State Forestry and NM Department of Transportation.
Daily public meetings continue to be held each morning at the Hillsboro Community Center at 10 a.m.
Multiple closures are in effect for the Silver Fire. For more information see http://fs.usda.gov/gila or www.nmroads.com.
Silver Fire updates can be found on Inciweb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3414. For additional fire information visit the following websites: www.facebook.com/SilverFireNM, www.flickr.com/gilaforest, www.twitter.com/SilverFireNM.