Saturday, June 21, 2008

Lightning blamed for wildfires

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

ADUNCAN Socorro County is seeing multiple wildfires, but none are threatening structures.

"That's the good thing on these fires," said Jack Dickey, state Forestry Division Socorro District fire management officer. "They've been up in the forest."

Lightning is blamed for causing the fires.

The Cowboy Fire started Thursday and is located east of Socorro and north of Bingham.

"It's pretty much out in the middle of nowhere," said Lann Moore, U.S. Bureau of Land Management district prescribed fire specialist.

On Friday, Dickey said crews were to fight the 175-acre fire overnight, and he expected containment by Saturday. No containment had been reported as of Friday afternoon, but because of little fuel and terrain that wasn't steep, the blaze had low growth potential.

Moore said engines from the bureau, State Forestry and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service were on the site, along with a small hand crew to do suppression from the ground.

"I know they're strengthening containment lines," he said.

Personnel were burning fire lines from roads.

Judging from the map, Moore said the Cowboy Fire is burning state trust land. Income from the land goes to various projects to benefit the public.

The Shipman, Eds and Rios fires were detected Wednesday, about 25 miles southwest of Magdalena in Socorro County, according to a U.S. Forest Service press release. Dickey said the blazes were threatening no structures.

According to the press release, the fires were 100 percent contained on Friday, and crews were continuing to monitor them from the ground and air. Twenty firefighters worked on the sites.

The Long Fire, which is located 20 miles northwest of Magdalena in Socorro County, was 80 percent contained and endangering no structures Friday afternoon, Dickey said. He anticipated crews working on it overnight and achieving 100 percent containment by Saturday.

According to the press release, the fire torched 25 acres of grass, pinion pines and junipers. The Long Fire had 16 people fighting it, and it was detected Thursday.

The Vivian Fire, also noticed Thursday, 25 miles southwest of Magdalena, burned 0.3 acres of grass, pinion and juniper on Friday, according to the press release. Personnel were to continue monitoring it from the air.

The Wild Bull Fire burned 100 acres approximately 50 miles northwest of Magdalena on Friday. The 12 firefighters on the scene were expected to begin burnout operations, according to the press release. The blaze was noticed on Thursday.

The Cork Screw Fire, also detected Thursday, on 0.25 acre 10 miles north of Magdalena, was 100 percent contained on Friday the news release.

Finally, the San Mateo Fire was burning on 3 acres 20 miles southwest of Magdalena on Friday, according to the press release. Lightning caused the blaze, which land managers were using to accomplish their resource management objectives.

Four fire personnel were taking care of the fire, which was being monitored by land and air.

Dickey said State Forestry was bringing two additional engines and an incident commander from Idaho.

"And we're increasing capacity to handle fires caused either by lightning or people," he said.

Dickey stressed that people should use fireworks only in areas without vegetation, with adult supervision and with buckets of water and a garden hose on hand. He also said people should follow the fire restrictions listed on the State Forestry Web site at www.nmforestry.com.

aduncan@dchieftain.com

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