The 400-acre Rico Fire just northwest of Pinos Altos is now burning closer to the community and has triggered evacuations, but is mostly headed northwest onto BLM lands. KOAT-7 News put the fire at 400+ acres this evening and reported that USFS crews were assigned, with an evacuation center established in Silver City (at 3031 Hwy. 180 East). The USFS was in charge of the fire and had dispatched several airtankers, along with several hotshot crews and 9 engines, according to Forest Service PIO Maribeth Pecotte.
She told KOAT-TV the fire is estimated to be 95 percent on BLM land.
The fire started there and then burned onto a parcel of state lands; the cause is under investigation. It’s burning in pine timber, oak brush, and grass.
“Yesterday we had a very successful response with airtankers,” said Loretta Benavidez with the BLM. The Silver City Daily Press reported that a Type 3 team was ordered and en route. “They will utilize the resources that are in place,” Benavidez said. “That’s usually a success story, when we have people in place and a team comes in and knows what they have.”
A fire update posted by NMfireInfo.com noted that evacuations were in progress. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 142 personnel assigned, including crews operating 21 engines, four helicopters, three watertenders and a dozer, as well as four hotshot crews.
“They are working the perimeter of the fire to try to increase that containment,” said Benavidez.
The National Weather Service issued a fire weather watch for southwest New Mexico, warning of conditions that could lead to rapid fire growth.
County sheriff’s deputies went door-to-door offering evacuation aid on Tuesday, and a larger evacuation notice was issued from the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority later in the evening. “The evacuations were voluntary,” said Randy Villa, county FMO. More info’s online at the Grant County wildfires website.