SILVER CITY, N.M. An erratic wildfire in southern New Mexico’s Gila National Forest that is spilling smoke columns 30,000 feet high grew to nearly 70 square miles Friday, fire officials said.
The blaze’s expansion came as firefighters continued to fight the wildfire amid dry conditions and low humidity.
Several fire officials reported that the hot, dry weather since the fire was started by lightning on June 7 has been one of the biggest factors in causing the fire to grow. They said humidity surrounding the fire had been measured at just 2 percent. That means the dead wood on the ground held about 4 percent humidity, which is lower than the kiln-dried lumber available at stores, which is around 10 percent.
“That 2 percent relative humidity is like laboratory conditions,” Operation Chief Buck Wickham told the Silver City Sun-News. “It’s almost impossible to get that. Most of us in our careers have never seen humidity that low.”
Crews are scheduled to construct indirect fire line from East Yates Canyon to McKnight Cabin in the northwest part of the blaze and along the Hermosa Trail in the northeast part.
Residents of Kingston were allowed to return home Thursday after they were forced to evacuate for 10 days.
Officials said they expected to see the conditions stay hot and dry until monsoon season. The most active part of the fire is in the north, where the fire moved two miles yesterday on Wednesday.
Just over a mile away from the command post, firefighters have moved into what has become “like a little village”, according to Helene Holguin, a fire information officer with the Gila National Forest.
Officials said the fire is 20 percent contained.
Go to https://nmfireinfo.com/ for more information on all fires in New Mexico. Let us pray for God’s healing rains to fall.
