Blue 2 Fire Daily Update - June 12, 2024
The Blue 2 Fire, 8 miles north of Ruidoso in the White Mountain Wilderness Area, has burned 7,532 acres since May 16, 2024, and is now 91% contained. Caused by lightning, the fire's uncontained perimeter has been assessed and found not holding heat. Repair work continues, and moderate burn severity affects 8% of the area. Road closures and restrictions remain, with limited smoke expected throughout the summer. All evacuation orders have been lifted.
Source of Heat Identified and Mitigated for Firefighter Safety on the Blue 2 Fire
Acres: 7,532
Start Date: May 16, 2024
Location: 8 miles North of Ruidoso, White Mountain Wilderness Area
Cause: Lightning
Personnel: 118
Fuels: Timber/Grass/Brush
Containment: 91%
Resources: 1 Crew | 2 Engines | 3 Water Tenders | 2 Masticators
Operations: Yesterday, fire managers conducted an aerial assessment of the Blue 2 Fire to evaluate the status of the uncontained perimeter. This area has been challenging to access. The flight confirmed that the western perimeter is no longer holding heat, leading to an increase in containment to 91%. Although smoldering within the fire’s interior may persist, particularly where downed trees retain heat, this is expected to produce limited smoke throughout the summer, dependent on weather conditions and wind. Repair work on Soldier Mountain has been completed, and efforts are now focused on completing the remaining planned repairs.
The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team has released a Burn Severity Map based on their scientific modeling. The map indicates that 8% of the area experienced moderate burn severity, with no high burn severity recorded. The BAER team will develop plans to aid in erosion control and promote the regrowth of native plants.
Weather: Expect sunshine with afternoon clouds over the mountains. Conditions will warm to above-normal levels, with fair overnight recovery and lower afternoon relative humidity. Light winds will generally favor a westerly direction over high terrain and be influenced by the terrain at lower elevations.
Closures: The 532 road heading west toward Ski Apache is accessible up to Indian Service Route 21. Due to ongoing fire traffic and construction, camping and other recreational activities in the Bonito Lake Area remain restricted. The Forest closure order for the White Mountain Wilderness Area is still in effect, with law enforcement present to ensure the safety of firefighters as they complete their work.
Smoke: Interior smoldering may generate limited smoke that could affect surrounding areas, depending on wind conditions. An interactive smoke map is available at fire.airnow.gov.
Evacuations: All evacuation orders have been lifted. For details, an interactive evacuation map is available at tinyurl.com/Blue2Evacs.
Stay informed and stay safe as the firefighting efforts continue to bring the Blue 2 Fire under full control.
For more updates and information, visit the Village of Ruidoso Blue 2 Fire Information Hub and newsfeed.
Blue Fire Information
Southwest Area Incident Management Team 3
Fire Information Phone Number: (575) 386-5077
Media Phone Number: (575) 386-5108
Fire Information: www.linktr.ee/BlueFire.2024
