Rain, cooler weather may help quell Black Feather Fire
Blaze still less than 3,000 acres as small towns on alert to leave
The Black Feather Fire has slowed in southern Rio Arriba County, and officials hope more rain and cooler weather will help a new firefighting team extinguish the blaze.
Command over the firefighting effort for the 2,700-acre fire south of Gallina was transferred to a
Type 1 incident management team Wednesday morning.
Such teams are often called in to battle more serious fires.
Coyote Ranger District spokesman John Helmich said the Type 1 team has more experience in more complex wildfire environments and the potential for evacuations for the Black Feather Fire factored into the switch in command.
“With the weather being cooler [Wednesday] and the rain yesterday over the fire for an extended period of time — that didn’t put it out by any means, but did cool it a bit and slow fire activity,” Helmich said, adding forecasts for monsoon conditions were promising. “All of these things are pointing towards a successful complete suppression of this fire.”
The fire was estimated Wednesday to have burned more than 2,700 acres on the San Pedro Parks Wilderness, and no portion of the perimeter was contained.
The nearby communities of Mesa Pinebetal and Mesa Poleo remain in “set” status for evacuation and the small community of Wetherill remains in “ready” status.
If the fire reaches Forest Road 103, officials have said, the former two communities will be called upon to evacuate.
The Black Feather Fire is one of several burning in New Mexico. The American Mesa Fire, on Carson National Forest land near Dulce, had been held at 756 acres Wednesday and the perimeter was 25% contained.
Several wildfires also continue to burn in the Gila National Forest in southwestern New Mexico, including some that are being managed by a “confine and contain” strategy.