Two fires handled by local firefighters
Dianne L Stallings, Ruidoso News 2:44 p.m. MST February 16, 2016
No
structures threatened or injuries connected to two fires that broke out
last week, one of the Mescalero Reservation and the other north of the
village of Ruidoso
By
Monday, a wildfire spotted Wednesday on the Mescalero Apache
Reservation was more than 70 percent contained and a second fire off
Airport Road north of Ruidoso was extinguished.
The Rumuda Fire
remained at 615 acres in size at its location about two miles east of
Cow Camp #1 on the reservation that adjoins the village, according to
Forest Manager Erica Enjady. While officials have determined the fire
was human-caused, an investigation continues, she said.
When the
fire first was reported Feb. 10, Bureau of Indian Affairs Mescalero
Agency firefighters responded. The fire was burning in grass and
pinyon-juniper stands. Light winds caused the rapid spread of the fire
through the thick grass. No homes or structures were threatened. Part of
the fire area had previously been treated for grassland restoration and
numerous pinyon-juniper slash piles were consumed by the fire.
Firefighting resources from the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Lincoln National
Forest, and New Mexico State Forestry assisted the BIA with initial
attack.
On Friday, firefighters conducted firing operations to
burn out unburned islands of grass within the interior of the fire.
Firefighters continued working towards full containment by securing the
fire perimeter. Mop-up activities also continued. Two engines were
released from the fire to respond to the new fire near Ruidoso.
Resources that remain on the Mescalero incident include three engines,
one water tender, and a Type 2 Initial Attack Crew.
Lincoln County
Emergency Services Manager Joe Kenmore said Tuesday that the fire
reported Friday on the north side of Airport Road was extinguished with
help from fire fighting units from the U.S. Forest Service, the State
Forestry, the Bonito Volunteer Fire Department, the Ruidoso Fire
Department, the Nogal Volunteer Fire Department, the Capitan Fire
Department and help from Sierra Blanca Regional Airport fire staff.
The
fire was confined to 8.9 acres and no structures were damaged.. No
injuries occurred. Airport Road was closed temporarily, because of heavy
smoke and to control traffic, he said.
Sheriff Robert Shepperd
Tuesday told county commissioners that an individual hired by a property
manager to supervise the controlled burn on New Mexico Highway 220,
Airport Road, will receive a criminal summons for improper handling of
a fire. He said the individual had no water source available.
Kenmore
said the fire came close to houses and people need to be re-educated
about controlled burns and required precautions. Besides the need for
water on site, he suggested Instead of a large pile of debris that might
flare out of control, smaller piles could be burned or more debris
added as a fire lessens in intensity.
"We have to watch on days with 6 percent humidity," he said. "There may be snow on the ground, but the grass is dry."
Commissioner
Dallas Draper asked if the county should consider a ban on outdoor
burning. Kenmore said a ban can be imposed on days with significant
wind, but he preferred seeing how spring weather plays out before
banning all outdoor fires in unincorporated areas of the county. Many
ranchers are interested in burning off old dead grass, he said.
The county received more than 100 percent of the precipitation that fell last year, he said,
Contact info: Don Swanner's Tree Service, 150 Loma Grande,
Nogal, NM 88341. 575.937.3255.
swannerdon62@gmail.com
March 27, 2016 
