South Tularosa Fire

 Monday, May 5, 2008    8:00 a.m.

Acres: 3,860   Containment: 45%  Start Date: May 1, 2008    Personnel: 468

Hand Crews: 12   Dozers: 9   Engines: 18   Water Tenders: 7   Helicopters: 3

The South Tularosa Fire, burning entirely on Apache Mescalero Tribal lands 4 miles southeast of Mescalero, NM., grew minimally on Sunday.  Fire behavior was mitigated by increases in humidity and decreased winds.  Dozers and hand crews will continue to secure the area by constructing fire lines mainly in the northern and southern part of the fire.  Light smoke was visible yesterday and the winds were relatively calm.

Spot fires continue to be a concern especially along the eastern and southern fire perimeter.  The winds are expected to increase in the next few days and may push the fire towards the containment lines.

Today, hand crews will continue to build containment lines on the north and south side of the fire.  They will also continue to monitor and extinguish any burnable materials up to 200 feet from the fire line.

Extremely dry fuels and a chance for a wind event in the next few days may challenge suppression efforts.  High temperatures are expected to be 70 degrees and winds will be south-southwest between 9 and 12 mph, gusting to about 18 mph.

The community of Mescalero is open to visitors, with some restrictions, such as no open flame permitted.  The forest lands of the Mescalero Apache Tribal Reservation are presently closed to the public except for Silver Lake, Ruidoso Cabins, Able Cabins, and Mescalero Lake.  For daily updates and changes in restrictions call: 575-464-4467 Tribal Conservation.

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