EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Trout Fire grew to nearly 40,000 acres on Wednesday morning, June 18, which is burning about 12 miles north of Silver City in the Gila National Forest, the Southwest Area Incident Management team said in an update on Wednesday.
The fire grew to 38,682 acres with 0 percent containment, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Close to 900 personnel are working on the fire, according to the incident management team.
The incident management team says firefighters worked through the night under challenging conditions. Crews held and secured areas on the north and northwest sides of the fire near Highways 15 and 35.
On the north side of the fire, hose lays and water systems were installed around homes in Trout Valley and Lake Roberts. On the south and southeast sides of the fire, dozer lines are being constructed, and crews are trying to limit fire movement towards the Mibres Valley.
The incident management team says the fire continues to exhibit active growth due to dry fuels, gusty winds, and high temperatures.
Information on smoke conditions can be found here.
These are the evacuation levels as of 10 a.m. on Wednesday:
GO (Level 3) – Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 26
SET (Level 2) – Zone 27
READY (Level 1) – Zones 28, 29
Additional evacuation areas will be identified as conditions change. To view the interactive evacuation map, click here.
The Red Cross has established evacuation shelters at Grant County Convention Center at 3031 US-180 and Cobre High School at 1300 Tom Foy Blvd. The High Desert Humane Society will accommodate pets, and the rodeo grounds at the Southwest Horseman’s Association are open to receive livestock, the incident management team said.
The Gila National Forest has issued a closure order for the area. Click here to learn more.
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are also in place. Click here to learn about the fire restrictions.
A temporary flight restriction is in effect to allow firefighters to do their job. Click here to learn about the flight restriction.
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