Fire lines helping fight Ute Park blaze

Firefighters continued to make progress Wednesday in their battle to the contain the Ute Park Fire in northwestern New Mexico, building fire lines in steep terrain. The fire was at 36,800 acres and 30 percent contained Wednesday evening, officials reported on the New Mexico fire information website.

The fire stared May 31 near U.S. 64 between Eagle Nest and Cimarron. No homes have been destroyed, but 14 outbuildings burned on the Boy Scouts of America’s Philmont Scout Ranch.

A mandatory evacuation order was still in place for the tiny Ute Park community, where 219 structures were still threatened, but an evacuation order for Cimarron and the surrounding areas was lifted Monday.

A remote fire camp was set up on the Philmont Scout Ranch earlier this week to better resupply firefighters and reduce travel times to the containment lines. Almost 600 firefighters have been working to contain the fire.

The fire was no longer threatening an area of the Valle Vidal in Colfax County, Carson National Forest officials said Wednesday, so a temporary closure there has been lifted. Though, visitors must follow Stage 2 fire restrictions, prohibiting campfires and charcoal, coal and wood stoves — with the exception of devices fueled solely by liquid petroleum or gas. Smoking is banned under Stage 2 restrictions, except within vehicles or in developed recreational areas.

The west side of the Valle Vidal, in Taos County, remains closed until June 30 due to elk calving, forest officials said.

In southwestern New Mexico, Stage 2 fire restrictions were imposed Wednesday in the Gila National Forest.