Pine Lodge Fire grows to 8,000 acres, approaches Arabella
A community meeting is scheduled for June 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Capitan Traylor gymnasium.
Jessica Onsurez
Winds gusts on Saturday built the Pine Lodge Fire into a 7,898 acre wildfire over the weekend.
The fire, whose cause is still under investigation, is currently five miles northwest of Arabella, New Mexico, according to a news release from the U.S. Forest Service.
Despite its proximity, a spokesperson for the Southwest Area Incident Management Team said there are no evacuation orders in place, though the operations managers are continually assessing the threat to the community.
The fire was reported June 19 near Boy Scout Mountain the Capitan Mountains Wilderness Area.
The fire threatened not only homes and property but communication structures and archaeological and historical sites according to a news release from the U.S. Forest Service.
As part of containment efforts, Highway 246 was closed from Roswell to Capitan.
Owners of homes in the area are allowed to access property, but the Capitan Mountains east of the Capitan Gap Road is closed.
The trails and Forest Service Roads in the area are also closed.
A community meeting is scheduled for June 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Capitan Traylor gymnasium where incident commanders will update the public on containment efforts.
Follow the Pine Lodge Fire reporting from the beginning:
- Wildfire burns 2 cabins, 360 acres in Lincoln National Forest
- 'They can't take your memories.' El Paso native loses cabin in Lincoln National Forest wildfire
Containment
Though there are about 328 resources — hot shot crews, engines, helitack, Type 2 hand crews and aerial support — assigned to the fire, personnel have not managed to contain the blaze that consumed three cabins and a vehicle last week.
The fire is being fed by timber, brush and grass in the wilderness area.
WEATHER: While gusty weather helped build the fire, a favorable forecast of lower winds speeds is ahead.
The U.S. Forest Service and Pecos Zone Type 3 Team handed management of the wild fire to the Southwest Area Team Incident Management Team 5 on Sunday.
"The most active area on the fire was on the northwest flank near Copeland Canyon, which caused significant fire growth," the release read.
"Crews on the northwest and north flanks of the fire will be actively working to keep the fire south of State Road 246.
"On the east side of the fire, crews are continuing work to minimize impacts to the hunter cabins and Brill Ranch."
On Saturday crews kept the fire from crossing Highway 246. Fire retardant drops were part of the all-day work by personnel battling the blaze.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Jessica Onsurez can be reached at 575-628-5531, jonsurez@currentargus.com or @JussGREAT on Twitter.