Video above: Blue 2 Fire aerial footage on Friday, May 24
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Blue 2 Fire is almost contained and a virtual community meeting will be held on Thursday, June 6, to discuss fire operations and post-fire recovery, according to the New Mexico Forestry Division.
The virtual meeting will start at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Blue 2 Fire’s Facebook page. The public will be allowed to ask questions about fire operations and post-fire recovery.
To access Blue 2 Fire’s Facebook page, click here.
The entire eastern side of the Blue 2 Fire is contained and is currently being reported at 7,532 acres with 83 percent containment.
The Forestry Division says the repair of land and handline continues. Firefighters are also spreading grass seeds to encourage revegetation.
“Crews and equipment install water diversion features to limit erosion. Excavators pull wind rows of brush back onto the northern dozer line. Masticators continue to work on the Forest boundary, west of the communities. Drones and crews monitor for any detectable hot spots along the remaining uncontained fire edge. Hose lines and sprinklers are backhauled and prepared for return to the national cache. As firefighters finish their work, they leave the incident to return home or head to other fires. Law enforcement continues to enforce the forest closure so firefighters can safely complete their work,” the Forestry Division said.
All evacuations have been lifted. Bonito Lake will remain closed until further notice and the Forest closure order will continue to remain in effect for the White Mountain Wilderness Area.
The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is still in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft systems or drones, according to the Forestry Division.
The Forestry Division also says a shift in the weather pattern will result in moderating fire weather conditions, lower wind speeds, and increased relative humidity.
The fire continues to produce minimal smoke. However, surrounding communities will see good air quality.
The fire was caused by lightning on Thursday, May 16, and is located in the White Mountain Wilderness area, which is 8 miles north of Ruidoso.
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