By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

Firefighters continue to battle the Ute Park Fire which has now grown to over 27,000 acres with 447 personnel fighting the fire.

According to County Manager Mary Lou Kearn firefighters plan a aerial assault in the area southwest of Cimarron along the water sheds where the fire took ground yesterday and affected one of the lakes that Cimarron takes water from. Springer Electric is shutting off power today to areas outside Cimarron to prevent electrical damage. The power to Cimarron proper and Philmont will not be turned off unless the fire threatens those power poles.

Highway 64 remains closed to the public between Cimarron and Eagle Nest as well as highways 58 and 21. Highway 64 is also closed at Colfax with access to Cimarron being strictly enforced.

A type 1 fire team has taken over operations on the blaze and setup camp in Eagle Nest.

Cellular service and internet service has been out in the Mareno Valley and at times as far west as Taos. Both AT&T and Verizon were preparing solutions to fill the gap until fiber optic lines could be repaired. Internet service is being rerouted trying to keep up with demand. According to Colfax County Under Sheriff Leonard Baca AT&T was planning on bringing in a Satellite cell tower and rerouting thier traffic through lines in Colorado.

This map was uploaded to Facebook and shows the areas the fire has burned.

Below was provided by State Forestry.

Fire Information

EMNRD-FORESTRY DIVISION
UTE PARK FIRE – COLFAX COUNTY – June 2, 2017 Morning Update

SOUTHWEST AREA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM #1

Bea Day – Incident Commander

Increasing, Shifting Winds Expected to Drive Active Fire Behavior Today

Acres: ~27,290 acres (based on infrared flight)                   Percent Containment: 0%
Start Date: May 31, 2018, 2:10pm                                       Cause: Unknown, under investigation
Jurisdiction: NM State                                                         Fuels: grass, pinyon juniper and ponderosa pine
Origin Location: Near Highway 64 in Ute Park, NM, between Eagle Nest Lake and Cimarron
Resources: ~447 personnel including 10 crews, 8 helicopters, 24 engines, 8 dozers, 2 water tenders

The plan is to go direct as possible to limit fire spread, but safety is our #1 priority. Given the dynamic situation, firefighters are focused on protecting values at risk and limiting the fire’s spread where they can do so safely and effectively. Values include firefighter and public safety, critical municipal watersheds, structures, and air quality.

Last night firefighters took advantage of favorable conditions to conduct a strategic burnout between State Road 204 and Highway 64 to help protect structures in the Cimarron area.

Winds will increase and shift to coming from the northeast, east and southeast throughout the day. Active fire behavior including crowning (burning through the tree tops), with wind driven runs and long-range spotting is expected.

There are increasing chances of showers and thunderstorms Sunday and Sunday night. There could even be a severe storm with large hail, high winds along with heavy rain late Sunday into Sunday night. Flash flooding is a concern. Precipitation may help limit fire activity in the short term, but critical fire weather conditions are expected to return.

Firefighters are working to establish an anchor point (an advantageous location, usually a barrier to fire spread, from which to start constructing a fireline) in the Ute Park and Cimarron areas. On the north side of the fire, a hotshot crew will be scouting containment and protection opportunities in the Gobble Gulch area. On the east side of the fire, two hotshot crews, engines and water tenders will be implementing structure defense in the Cimarron community as needed where they can do so safely. On the south side of the fire three hotshot crews and engines are assessing and implementing structure defense in the Webster Lake and Philmont Scout Camp area.

Structures damage assessments are ongoing. Approximately 12-14 outbuildings have burned on the Philmont Scout Ranch. Approximately 296 structures are threatened in the community of Cimarron, which remains under a mandatory evacuation order. Philmont Scout Ranch staff have also evacuated. There are no scouts currently at the camp. Ute Park is now under advisory evacuations. Sign Up for Colfax County’s Emergency Alerts at https://bit.ly/2LbNdXh.

The New Mexico Chapter of the American Red is supporting the City of Raton’s shelter at the Raton Convention Center, 901S. 3rd Street, Raton, NM. The Red Cross also continues to have a shelter open at the Eagle Nest Senior Center at 74 N. Tomboy Dr., Eagle Nest, NM. Evacuees are welcome at either shelter.

Highway 64 between Eagle Nest and the junction with State Route 55, Highway 21 from Springer to Cimarron, and State Route 58 from I-25 to Cimarron are closed. Call 511 or visit http://nmroads.com/ for current road info. Cimarron State Park is closed. Eagle Nest Lake State Park is open, but the lake is closed for helicopters fighting the fire.

Use the 5-3-1 visibility method to protect your health from smoke. https://nmfireinfo.com/fire

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. More info visit Know Before You Fly, http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Ute Park Fire Info: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5820/ (air quality info, maps, etc.) & http://nmfireinfo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ute-Park-Fire-Info-378765475953098/ Twitter: @uteparkfireinfo
Public Line: (505) 309-0751 Media Line: (520) 485-807

Fire Information

EMNRD-FORESTRY DIVISION
Ute Park Fire – June 2, 2017 Evening Update

SOUTHWEST AREA INCIDENT
MANAGEMENT TEAM #1
Bea Day – Incident Commander

Ute Park evacuated due to increase fire activity south of the community, crews prepare for storms Sunday

Acres: estimated 30,000 acres Percent Containment: 0%
Start Date: May 31, 2018, 2:10pm Cause: Unknown, under investigation
Jurisdiction: NM State Fuels: Grass, Pinyon Juniper, and Mixed Conifer
Origin Location: Near Highway 64 in Ute Park, NM, between Eagle Nest Lake and Cimarron
Resources: 511 personnel including 10 crews, 6 helicopters, 32 engines, 8 dozers, 7 water tenders

An Increase in fire activity and growth on the west side of the fire prompted the Colfax Emergency Manager and Colfax Sheriff’s Office to issue a mandatory evacuation for Ute Park this evening. Afternoon winds from the southeast caused the fire to grow to the west, south of Ute Park. Winds are forecasted to come from the south this evening which would threaten to align the fire to advance into Ute Park. Firefighters will be in the community overnight providing point protection around structures and conducting burnout operations to protect the community.

Today the winds shifted in the afternoon and came out of the southeast which slowed the fire growth on the east side of the fire. Crews were able to continue to conduct burnout operations along the east and southeast side of the fire. The lines held well today and this evening crews will continue to strengthen the lines by extinguishing hot spots along its edge and patrolling the line.

There are increasing chances of showers and thunderstorms Sunday and Sunday night. Forecasts are calling for a severe storm with large hail, high winds, heavy rain, and lightning Sunday starting at noon into Sunday evening. Flash flooding is a concern. While the increase in moisture has the potential to decrease the fire activity, outflow winds associated with thunderstorms can overcome the moisture with increased winds around the fire. Lightning also increases the risk of new fires.

Structures damage assessments completed. Fourteen outbuildings have burned on the Philmont Scout Ranch. Approximately 296 structures are threatened in the community of Cimarron, which remains under a mandatory evacuation order. Philmont Scout Ranch staff have also evacuated to the Colfax Fairgrounds in Springer, NM. There are no scouts currently at the camp. Sign Up for Colfax County’s Emergency Alerts at https://bit.ly/2LbNdXh.

The Red Cross continues to have a shelter open at the Eagle Nest Senior Center at 74 N. Tomboy Dr., Eagle Nest, NM. The New Mexico Chapter of the American Red is also supporting the City of Raton’s shelter at the Raton Convention Center, 901S. 3rd Street, Raton, NM. Evacuees are welcome at either shelter.

Highway 64 between Eagle Nest and the junction with State Route 55, Highway 21 from Springer to Cimarron, and State Route 58 from I-25 to Cimarron are closed. Call 511 or visit http://nmroads.com/ or current road info. Cimarron State Park is closed. Eagle Nest Lake State Park is open, but the lake is closed for helicopters fighting the fire.

Use the 5-3-1 visibility method to protect your health from smoke. Learn how at https://nmfireinfo.com/fire
Air Monitoring Resources are available online at https://bit.ly/2tm1VG6 and https://bit.ly/2sqcLJ4.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. More info visit Know Before You Fly, http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.
Ute Park Fire Info: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5820/ (air quality info, maps, etc.) & http://nmfireinfo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ute-Park-Fire-Info-378765475953098/ Twitter: @uteparkfireinfo

Public Line: (505) 309-0751 Media Line: (520) 485-8073

Ute Park Fire Saturday Update

Fire Information

Fire Information