Approximate Location
Incident Overview
The 3700-acre Indian Peaks prescribed fire project is located about 65 miles northwest of Truth or Consequences, NM. Fire managers had initially planned to begin operations on April 20th, however firefighting personnel were committed to other incidents in the area, so the date to begin lighting on Indian Peaks (Unit 11) was changed to May 5th.
On May 5th, a test burn was completed following a spot weather forecast and the decision to continue hand lighting operations was made. Firefighters worked on "blacklining" or preburning fuels that are adjacent to control lines. They worked most of the perimeter in preparation for continued lighting operations that will take place during the next few days. After successfully treating 2400 acres (on May 5th), lighting operations were stopped around 5:00 pm and units were scheduled to patrol the fire well into the evening.
May 6, 2009 - Update
Firefighters resumed lighting operations around noon and plan to treat fuels that are mostly located in the interior portion of project. During yesterday's activities, smoke was generated and was visible in the late afternoon and smoke did linger in valleys and low lying areas through the night and into the early morning. Today's weather forecast calls for a slight increase in winds, which will help with smoke dispersal.
May 6, 2009 - 5:30 pm Update
Firefighters were able to treat 1071 acres with prescribed fire today, bringing the total number of acres treated since yesterday to 3,571. Personnel will patrol the fire this evening and plan to return to the project site early Thursday morning to continue patrol activities and monitoring.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Prescribed Fire |
|---|---|
| Date of Origin | Tuesday May 05th, 2009 approx. 01:00 PM |
| Location | 65 miles northwest of Truth or Consequences, NM |
| Incident Commander | Dennis Fahl |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 50 |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,571 acres |
| Fuels Involved | Ponderosa pine, grass, pinon juniper |
| Significant Events | Hand lighting operations began on the afternoon of May 5. Firefighters worked on "blacklining" along the perimeter of the 3700 acre project. The following day, May 6, 1071 acres were treated. A total of 3571 acres have been treated with prescribed fire since yesterday within "Unit 11" of the Indian Peaks project. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Firefighters will patrol the area this evening and plan to return to the site early on Thursday morning. They will continue patrol activities and monitoring of fuels and other environmental conditions within and near the project. |
|---|---|
| Remarks | Burning conditions were optimal during early afternoon and into late afernoon. Smoke was visible while lighting operations were taking place and smoke did linger in valleys and low lying areas. A slight increase in winds today will help with smoke dispersal. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 8 - 14 mph NW |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 79-84 degrees |
| Humidity | 12-16% |
