The Crooks Fire 8 miles south-southeast of Prescott, Arizona was 1,612 acres when it was mapped at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Most of the growth was toward the northeast as it burned south of Potato Patch and past Mt. Union as it approached Big Bug Mesa Road.
Red flag conditions in rugged terrain on Tuesday challenged firefighters and grounded aircraft through the day. Crews are looking for opportunities to construct indirect line hoping to keep the fire south of FSR 261 road and restrict its spread to the north.
A Type 1 Incident Management Team, California IMT 4, will assume command of the fire Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Resources assigned include 7 hand crews, 14 fire engines, and 5 helicopters for a total of 292 personnel.
Information about evacuations can be found at the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page.
1:16 p.m. MDT April 19, 2022
Map of the Crooks Fire showing heat detected by satellites at 2:39 a.m. MDT April 19, 2022.
A new fire, the Crooks Fire, broke out Monday eight miles south of Prescott, Arizona. Fire authorities said Tuesday the fire had burned 600 acres in the Prescott National Forest.
The fire is about two miles west of the Goodwin Fire that burned more than 28,000 acres in 2017.
The area is under a Red Flag Warning until 8 p.m. MDT Tuesday for 25 to 35 mph winds gusting out of the southwest at up to 50 mph with relative humidity around 10 percent.
Information from the Incident Management organization late Tuesday morning:
Ryan Barela’s Arizona Central West Zone Type 3 Incident Management will assume command of the Crooks Fire [Tuesday] at 6:00 PM. The fire remained active last night as crews worked through the night on structure protection and burning fuels along Forest Road (FR) 261 and along Senator Highway. Firefighters will focus today on keeping the fire south of FR 261 and east of Senator Highway. Fires in Prescott, AZ typically are driven by southwestern winds that push the fire to the northeast, therefore, we are prioritizing working on the northeastern part of the fire.
The Southwest Area Coordination Center said Tuesday afternoon that a Type 1 Incident Management Team from California, led by Incident Commander Gamboa, has been ordered.
(This article was corrected at 1:53 p.m. MDT Tuesday April 19 to correct conflation with the Crooks Peak Fire which is also in the Southwest Geographic Area.)
Two people were found deceased at a home inside the fire perimeter
Updated at 10:20 a.m. MDT April 16, 2022
McBride Fire, Ruidoso, New Mexico. Posted by the Incident Management Team April 16, 2022.
The perimeter of the McBride Fire at Ruidoso, New Mexico did not change in any significant way Friday, even as a few pockets of vegetation in the interior burned, putting up occasional bursts of smoke. Firefighters have been mopping up to further secure the fire’s edge. Dozers and ground crews are working on the north side in the rugged, tough country in the Eagle Creek area. On the east edge where the fire is burning in old fire scars, crews are scouting for potential control lines, such as old two track roads.
Some evacuations have been lifted, but others remain in place. The list, updated once or twice a day, is posted online.
The Incident Status Summary filed Friday evening shows resources working on the fire include 5 hand crews, 23 fire engines, and 3 helicopters. In a Saturday morning briefing the Information Officer said a total of 299 personnel were assigned. The number of homes destroyed remains at 207.
Updated 8:28 a.m. MDT April 15, 2022
Map showing the perimeter of the McBride Fire (in red) at 8:15 p.m. April 14, 2022. The black line was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
The McBride Fire at Ruidoso, New Mexico grew by about 300 acres Thursday and was mapped that night at 6,162 acres. The changes in the perimeter, some of which could be attributed to more accurate mapping or tactical burning operations, were on the southeast side north of the intersection of Gavilan Canyon Road and US 70 and on the northeast side near Eagle Creek Canyon Road.
Again on Thursday, more moderate winds allowed helicopters to assist firefighters on the ground by dropping water. Crews worked on constructing or securing fire lines on the east and south sides. On the northeast side dozers worked with firefighters to construct fire line. Crews put out any remaining hotspots on the southwest side, focusing on the areas where structures were damaged or destroyed.
Resources assigned to the McBride Fire Thursday evening according to the National Situation Report and the Incident Status Summary report, included 1 hand crew and 15 fire engines, for a total of 138 personnel. The report showed no helicopters even though Incident Commander Dave Bales said in a Thursday afternoon briefing that helicopters had been dropping water.
The Nogal Canyon Fire which is being suppressed by the same Incident Management Team is burning on the Lincoln National Forest 12 miles northwest of Ruidoso, southwest of Nogal. Thursday afternoon officials said it had burned 394 acres, an increase of 49 acres in 24 hours. About 65 personnel are assigned that blaze.
Updated 9:45 a.m. MDT April 14, 2022
McBride Fire perimeter (in red) at 7:30 p.m. April 13, 2022. Seen also are fires from 2011 and 2000.
The McBride Fire at Ruidoso, New Mexico spread further to the northeast Wednesday, burning an additional 300 acres on the north side of Eagle Creek Canyon Road.
Thursday morning fire officials said the 5,736-acre fire has destroyed 207 homes. That number does not include outbuildings. Tuesday night, just hours after the fire started, officials said structures were lost in the areas of McBride, Gavilan Canyon, Fawn Ridge, Homestead Acres, and Lower Eagle Creek.
An elderly couple was found deceased at a home on Gavilan Canyon Road in Ruidoso on Tuesday. Law enforcement personnel found the couple after a report from a family member that they were unaccounted for.
3-D Map of the Hermits Peak Fire, looking west-southwest. The red line represents the perimeter at 7:30 p.m. April 13, 2022. The white line was the perimeter at 3 a.m. MDT April 13, 2022.
Operations Section Chief Shilow Norton said that decreasing winds on Wednesday allowed firefighters to make significant progress on the Hermits Peak Fire 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico. They used helicopters to drop water on the southeast side of the fire to support dozers as they constructed fire line. Crews nearly completed that line and hand crews worked through the night on steep portions of the east end that were inaccessible to dozers.
On the northeast side, south of the 266 Road and the Sapello River, firefighters were able to put in fire line in areas where the fire had moved out of the timber and into grass. Dozers also put in direct fireline south and southwest of San Ignacio.
Mapping Wednesday evening determined that the fire had burned about 7,000 acres.
Sheriff Chris Lopez said initial assessments have found five outbuildings that were destroyed but have not seen any homes that burned.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect Thursday for southwest winds 20 to 30 mph gusting to 40 with relative humidity of 4 to 10 percent.
12:03 p.m. MDT April 13, 2022
3-D Map Hermits Peak Fire. Looking west-southwest at 3 a.m. April 13, 2022.
The Hermits Peak Fire spread nearly four miles to the east on Tuesday, growing to 6,276 acres by Tuesday night according to the Santa Fe National Forest. (Reports from other government sources put it at 7,900 acres.) The fire is 12 miles northeast of Las Vegas, New Mexico. The east side of the fire has moved into flatter terrain, providing better access for firefighters. But until the wind speeds decrease, they will primarily be following the fire, picking up a few sections of the flanks as the head continues to move.
In a Wednesday morning briefing Operations Section Chief Shilow Norton said winds with sustained speeds of 48 mph gusting to 60 caused spot fires east of the fire Monday night. The fire continued to spread to the east-northeast on Tuesday and moved through the community of Las Dispensas. The 20 homes there had been prepped by firefighters in the last few days to reduce the chance of them burning. Mr. Norton said firefighters had to leave when the fire came through on Tuesday and later came back, but to his knowledge all of the homes were saved. The fire also impacted San Ignacio and Las Tusas. Firefighters are having some success, he said, in holding the northeast side of the fire in several places in the drainage along the Sapello River.
To see all articles about the Hermits Peak Fire on Wildfire Today, including the most recent, click HERE.
When the wind dies down, said Mr. Norton, previously completed fuel treatments east of the fire southwest of Sapello could be helpful in slowing the spread, allowing firefighters to take direct action. But with 48 mph winds, virtually nothing will stop the head of the fire. The wind has made it impossible for air tankers and helicopters to be effective.
Map, Hermits Peak Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 3 a.m. MDT April 13, 2022. The white line was the perimeter at about 9 a.m. April 12, 2022.
The extreme fire activity prompted additional evacuations affecting the Canoncito area in the Manuelitas Creek drainage, locations near Manuelitas, and north of Gallinas.
Evacuations
The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation orders using the Ready, Set, Go! system. The following areas are in Go status (i.e., residents should be evacuating): Las Dispensas, Pendaries Village, San Ignacio, Las Tusas, Lone Pine Mesa, Canoncito, La Canada, Manuelitas, Lower Canyon Road in Gallinas Canyon and La Tewa, Chavez, County A3, Southwest Sapello, and Southern Tierra Monte-Canyon. The following areas are in Set status (i.e., residents should be preparing for a potential evacuation): Upper Rociada, Rociada, Pendaries Valley East, Penasco Blanco, South Carmen, Northern Tierra Monte-Canyon, Big Pine, Canovas Canyon, El Porvenir, Gallinas, and Trout Springs. An evacuation shelter is available at the Old Memorial Middle School gym located at the corner of Legion and Old National in Las Vegas, NM.
Weather
Red Flag Warnings are again in place for strong winds and low humidity. After a hard freeze Wednesday morning, it will be sunny and cool, with high temperatures far below normal.
Map, McBride Fire April 12, 2022. (the time is uncertain)
The Incident Management team’s latest update on the McBride Fire was Tuesday night at 9 p.m. At that time the size was listed at 4,138 acres. Approximately 150 structures have burned.
The blaze spread very rapidly after it started Wednesday afternoon. The fire behavior was described by firefighters as extreme, with crowning and spotting as it burned to the northwest through timber and grass.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the McBride Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.
Mandatory evacuations are in place for the area around Moon Mountain, McBride/Snowcap/Timberline, Eagle Creek, Homestead Acres, Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates, Deer Valley, Deer Park, and Alto east of Flute Player. The Ruidoso Convention Center is accepting evacuees. More evacuations are possible. The Lincoln County Fairgrounds, Roswell Animal Shelter, and Otero Fairgrounds are open for those who need to evacuate with livestock.
3-D Map, McBride Fire, April 12, 2022. Looking north.
The area is under a Red Flag Warning again on Wednesday. The spot weather forecast for the McBride Fire issued at 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday, said, “The ongoing light precipitation will end in the next 3 hours with no accumulation expected.” On Wednesday it will be sunny. The winds will be out of the west at 16 mph with gusts to around 31 mph, with a minimum humidity of 6 percent. Wednesday night will see no humidity recovery with a maximum of 16 percent and 10 to 14 mph winds gusting to 26 out of the southwest and west. Thursday should bring west winds of 7 to 14 mph with 7 percent relative humidity.
A Type 1 Incident Management Team, Southwest Team #2, is mobilizing.
Updated at 8:15 p.m. MDT April 12, 2022
The Village of Ruidoso released an update on the McBride Fire at 7 p.m. Tuesday:
An air attack update has decreased the estimated acreage to 3,000. At this time 150 homes and structures have been lost. This is an active fire and is at 0% contained.
A mandatory evacuation notice is in order for Moon Mountain, Gavilan Canyon, Hull Road and Paradise Canyon. If you live in those areas please evacuate to the Ruidoso Convention Center. Mandatory evacuations are already in place for Eagle Creek, Homestead Acres, Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates, Old Fort Stanton Road, and Airport Road. More evacuations are possible.
The Ruidoso Convention Center is open and the Red Cross is on site to assist those who have evacuated. The Lincoln County Fairgrounds are currently full but the Roswell Animal Shelter and Otero Fairgrounds are open for those who need to evacuate with livestock.
Crews were able to knock back the fire near the Ruidoso Middle School and evacuate 1,700+ students in 1.5 hours from Ruidoso High School, Ruidoso Middle School and Elementary Schools to the Ruidoso Convention Center. Ruidoso Municipal Schools have cancelled school for Wednesday, April 13, 2022.
6:53 p.m. MDT April 12, 2022
Satellite map showing smoke from the McBride Fire at 5:11 p.m. MDT April 12, 2022. NOAA.
After the McBride Fire started near McBride Drive in Ruidoso, New Mexico at approximately 2:30 p.m. April 12 it spread very rapidly pushed by winds recorded at the nearby Smokey Bear weather station at 40 mph sustained, gusting at one point to 80 mph. The winds all day in Ruidoso have been out of the southwest and the relative humidity in the afternoon dropped to 19 percent.
There are reports of multiple structures having been destroyed.
At 5 p.m. the Lincoln National Forest said on their Twitter account that it had spread to 15,000 acres and “Ruidoso residents N of Ruidoso High School need to evacuate immediately.” Specifically, areas being evacuated include Gavilan Canyon Road, Homestead Loop, Eagle Creek, Blue Lake Drive, Mira Monte Road, and east of Fort Stanton Rd. The Ruidoso Convention Center is accepting evacuees. (Later that 15,000-acre figure was reduced to 3,000 acres.)
A firefighting aircraft orbits over the McBride Fire in New Mexico at 6:22 p.m. MDT April 12, 2022. ADSB Exchange map.
The fire has been spreading to the northeast toward the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport.
The local power company, PNM, shut off the electricity to 18,400 customers because the fire was moving toward a transmission line.
Within a few hours after the fire started a Type 1 Incident Management Team used for the most complex emergency incidents was ordered. It is very rare for this type of team to be requested a few hours after a fire is first reported.
With 40 mph winds gusting to more than 70, helicopters and fixed wing firefighting aircraft can’t be used safely or effectively. A small twin engine aircraft has been orbiting the fire at 17,000 feet providing intelligence and looking for opportunities to engage the fire.
McBride Fire. From Melissa Gibbs KRQE video April 12, 2022.
Another fire that started on Tuesday, the Nogal Canyon Fire, is also burning on the Lincoln National Forest 12 miles northwest of Ruidoso, southwest of Nogal. Judging from heat detected by satellites it is spreading rapidly. The Forest Service said at about 4 p.m. Tuesday that all of Nogal Canyon was under an evacuation order.
3-D Map of the Hermits Peak Fire at about 9 a.m. April 12, 2022. The yellow line within the fire was the perimeter about 24 hours before.
The Hermits Peak Fire 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico ran to the northeast Monday, moving out of the Santa Fe National Forest onto private land. The Incident Management Team said Monday afternoon it had burned 1,280 acres and a mapping flight that night put it at about 1,600 acres. Satellite data at 3:11 a.m. Tuesday indicated that it continued to spread significantly overnight. At about noon on Tuesday the Incident Management Team said it had burned 1,908 acres.
To see all articles about the Hermits Peak Fire on Wildfire Today, including the most recent, click HERE.
The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office issued a mandatory evacuation for the communities of San Ignacio, Las Dispensas, Pendaries, Las Tusas, and Canoncito on Monday, April 11. An evacuation shelter is available at the old Memorial Middle School gym located at the corner of Legion and Old National in Las Vegas, NM.
The Incident Management Team reports that 600 structures are threatened and none have been destroyed. Resources assigned include 5 hand crews, 13 fire engines, and 3 helicopters for a total of 244 personnel.
Map of the Hermits Peak Fire. The red line was the approximate perimeter at about 9 a.m. April 12, 2022. The yellow line within the burn was the approximate perimeter early in the morning April 11. The straighter yellow line is the boundary of the Santa Fe National Forest.
The area continues to be under a Red Flag Warning Tuesday and Wednesday. According to the Red Flag Warning the winds will be 30 to 45 mph out of the southwest gusting to 65 mph Tuesday, and 25 to 35 mph from the west with gusts to 40 on Wednesday. The relative humidity will be 10 to 15 percent Tuesday, dropping to 4 to 10 percent Wednesday. The National Weather Service forecast for the fire area agrees. The wind will be very strong Tuesday and Wednesday, and will slow to 10 to 20 mph Thursday through Sunday. The direction will be generally from the west the entire period and the relative humidity will be about 9 percent.
Under these weather conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday firefighting aircraft may not be able to effectively and safely operate, and firefighters can’t take direction on the head of the fire.
The Santa Fe National Forest announced today that a prescribed fire planned for the Santa Fe municipal watershed has been postponed.
Hermits Peak Fire, April 10, 2022. USFS.
We will update this article as more information becomes available.
Updated at 6:45 p.m. MDT April 11, 2022
The red dots on the map represent heat detected by satellites on the Hermits Peak Fire at 2:02 p.m. MDT April 11, 2022. The red line was the approximate perimeter early Monday morning.
At 1:30 p.m. Monday, strong winds pushing the Hermit Fire to the northeast prompted the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the US Forest Service, to order an immediate full evacuation of Las Dispensas, Pendaries, Las Tusas, San Ignaciao, and a “high alert warning” for the Canoncito area.
At 2:02 p.m. Monday, satellites detected heat from the fire very close to the border of the Santa Fe National Forest as it was spreading to the northeast. If that rate of spread continued it most likely moved out of the National Forest onto private land later in the afternoon.
Darren Krull, Chief of the Elwood Volunteer Fire Department. Nebraska State Patrol photo.
A fire chief was killed in a traffic collision in south-central Nebraska Thursday April 7 at a large wildland fire.
A Ford Expedition, driven by Phelps County Emergency Manager Justin Norris, with passenger Darren Krull, Chief of the Elwood Volunteer Fire Department, was struck head on by a water truck approximately eight miles north of Arapahoe on Highway 283.
The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) said Chief Krull, 54, of Elwood, was killed at the scene. Norris, 40, of Holdrege, was transported to the hospital in Cambridge with life-threatening injuries. He was transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney in stable condition. He was later moved to a hospital in Omaha. Friday morning he was in stable condition.
According to NSP, the driver of the water truck, Andries Van Aswegan, 28, of Arapahoe, was not injured in the crash.
The fire and smoke in the area had created zero-visibility conditions on the roadway at the time of the crash.
The wildfire in Nebraska burned about 30,000 acres. Nebraska Emergency Management Agency
The fire, 30 miles long and 5.5 miles wide, burned at least 30,000 acres, 8 homes, and 48 other structures. It started when strong winds blew a tree into a power line.
Our sincere condolences go out to the family, friends, and co-workers of Chief Krull.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Art, Gerald, Matt, and Tom.
