EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Firefighters are battling a new fire in the Gila Wilderness.
The Daisy Fire, which is burning about 16 miles east of Glenwood, New Mexico, started on Aug. 1 and has been determined be caused by lightning.
The fire remains at an estimated 50 acres with 0% containment, fire officials said Saturday morning, Aug. 9.
The fire is located within the Gila Wilderness along Whitewater Baldy Trail No. 172, on the ridge between Little Turkey Creek and Iron Creek.
Assigned resources include one interagency hotshot crew, one Type 2 Initial Attack crew, one ambulance, and one Rapid Extraction Team. Two helicopters are supporting ground crews with targeted water drops along the fire’s edge, fire officials said.
Firefighters are using full suppression tactics, going direct where conditions allow and indirect where hazards prevent close engagement. Steep, rugged terrain, combined with numerous unstable snags, are creating challenging working conditions, fire officials said.
Crews “spiked out” on the fireline Friday night to maximize productivity ahead of changing weather, fire officials said.
Recent work has focused on constructing and improving handline around the perimeter, with efforts Saturday aimed at tying those lines into natural barriers such as the Iron Creek tributary and nearby rock outcroppings to prevent further growth of the fire, officials said.
Weather forecasts for Saturday afternoon through Sunday predict hot, dry conditions with the potential for thunderstorms producing gusty, erratic outflow winds and minimal moisture. In anticipation of forecasted winds, all firefighters will be pulled from the fireline Saturday afternoon once work is completed and aircraft use will be restricted.
No evacuations or forest closures are currently in place due to the Daisy Fire. Visitors to the Gila National Forest are urged to stay aware of conditions and avoid the fire area to support firefighter safety and operations.
More information can be found on the Gila National Forest website by clicking here.
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